Small rockets, giant per-kilo premium

A dedicated small-launcher seat can cost 8-10x more per kilogram than a Falcon ride — you're paying for control, not tonnage.

The top 3

1. Rocket Lab Electron: ~$25,000/kg: About $7.5M to loft ~300 kg to the exact orbit you want — the 'private jet' end of the launch market.
2. Rideshare: ~$6,500/kg, but you take the bus: SpaceX Transporter missions start near $6,500/kg — far cheaper, but you share the rocket and get a fixed drop-off orbit.
3. Dedicated vs rideshare: the real tradeoff: Pick your orbit and schedule and pay the premium, or split a rocket with strangers and take whatever orbit you're given.

Sources

• Rocket Lab
• SpaceX Rideshare

Open the full topic