There is no single price to launch a satellite. NASA’s SmallSat Institute lists SpaceX Transporter rideshare at a starting benchmark of $350,000 for about 50 kg. That is not an all-in mission quote: the final budget depends on the satellite’s size, target orbit, schedule, deployment needs, integration work and compliance requirements. A dedicated launch can offer more control, but NASA says it costs significantly more than rideshare.
What does a satellite launch cost?
The clearest public starting point in NASA’s SmallSat Institute material is SpaceX Transporter rideshare at $350,000 for approximately 50 kg. Treat this as a starting price benchmark for a rideshare opportunity, not a universal rate or a complete mission budget. It does not establish what integration, licensing, orbit changes, insurance or other mission-specific items are included.
NASA describes rideshare as multiple payloads sharing a launch, either as secondary payloads on a larger mission or on a dedicated rideshare manifest. Sharing a launch is generally the lower-price starting point if the spacecraft can accept the mission’s orbit and schedule. NASA’s page does not provide a comparable price list for other small-launch providers or non-SpaceX rideshare services, so a useful budget requires a mission-specific provider quote.
Rideshare or dedicated launch?
| Option | What it offers | Price and trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Rideshare | Several payloads share a launch. The primary mission or shared manifest may determine the orbit and schedule. | Lower-price starting point when the mission can accept those constraints. NASA’s public benchmark is SpaceX Transporter starting at $350,000 for about 50 kg; it is not an all-in quote. |
| Dedicated small launch | A launch tailored more closely to a mission’s orbit, timing, environmental needs or use of vehicle performance. | NASA says dedicated launches have smaller manifests, lower launch frequency and significantly higher price points than rideshare. A comparable public price is not stated in NASA’s cited material. |
Dedicated service can be relevant when a mission needs a particular orbit or launch timing, special environmental conditions, rendezvous timing, or near-full use of the launch vehicle’s performance. Those advantages are not automatically worth the premium: the key question is whether the added control solves a real mission constraint.
#1 Best Overall
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- VOYAGER – 1.5 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 1.38 x 1.77 x 6.70 inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
What drives the price?
Payload mass, volume and interface
Mass and volume affect how much launch capacity a spacecraft needs and what physical interface it requires. The spacecraft’s fit with the vehicle, dispenser or separation system also shapes integration work. A price attached to a mass allowance should not be treated as covering every configuration or deployment requirement.
Target orbit and onward delivery
A rideshare customer may receive deployment into an approximate orbit shaped by the primary mission. If the spacecraft needs a different destination, an orbital transfer or maneuvering vehicle may provide onward delivery, with additional service and integration implications. Compare the intended final orbit—not just the rocket’s advertised destination—when asking for a quote.
Rank #2
- Model Kit
- May Require Paints and Glues to Assemble
- Accurate Scale Model
- Detailed Instructions Provided
- Decals/Transfers Included
Schedule and mission control
Rideshare depends on a shared manifest and its schedule. A customer needing tailored timing or a specific orbit may consider a dedicated launch, which NASA characterizes as significantly more expensive and less frequent than rideshare. Ask providers how much schedule flexibility is available and what happens if the mission’s readiness or launch date changes.
Integration, deployment and safety review
Launch integration can involve the provider, spacecraft manufacturer, customer, launch range and, in some cases, a broker or integrator. Work may include spacecraft-to-vehicle interfaces, dispensers, separation systems, safety review and coordination across a multi-customer manifest. These responsibilities vary by spacecraft and launch configuration, so the advertised launch price alone does not show who performs or pays for each item.
Rank #3
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs
- APOLLO CSM – 3.5 Sheet Model with a challenging difficulty level. Assembled Size: 5.07 L x 2.28 W x 3.45 H inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all
Licensing and compliance
NASA’s integration guidance identifies possible requirements such as radio-frequency, remote-sensing and laser-use licenses, along with orbital-debris information, materials and venting data, and spacecraft-specific models. The guidance does not assign prices to these requirements. The spacecraft owner or operator remains responsible for obtaining applicable licenses, whether or not it uses an integrator.
What a launch price does—and does not—tell you
A launch-service figure is not necessarily the total cost of getting a satellite built, licensed, delivered to its final orbit and operated. The cited NASA material does not establish an all-in cost for satellite manufacture, insurance, operations or an end-to-end mission. Nor does the $350,000 rideshare benchmark prove that integration, licensing support or onward orbital transfer is included.
Rank #4
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE - 2.75 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 4.13 L x 2.75 W x 2.75 H inches. 1:221 Scale. 62 Pieces
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
NASA also publishes figures for government procurement programs, but those are not per-launch retail prices. Its VADR page describes a maximum of $300 million across indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts over a five-year ordering period. That is a portfolio ceiling, not a typical mission cost.
A separate NASA StarBurst award release from September 2026 describes a different VADR ordering period and a $1 billion aggregate maximum, but does not disclose StarBurst’s task-order price. These figures concern different contract scopes and should not be combined or compared with a rideshare slot as though they were prices for the same product.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsBest Value
- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- HUBBLE TELESCOPE – 1 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 3.00 x 2.00 x 2.50 inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
How to compare provider quotes
Ask each provider to quote the same mission scope. NASA cautions that advertised performance can differ from actual performance and recommends contacting providers for mission-specific information.
Quick Recap
- Define the destination: state the target orbit and whether the quote must include any onward transfer from the launch’s deployment orbit.
- Describe the spacecraft: provide its mass, volume, interface and deployment requirements.
- Set the schedule and control needs: identify the required launch window, acceptable delays, and any special handling or environmental conditions.
- Request an itemized scope: ask what is included for launch service, integration, deployment, range coordination, safety review and licensing support.
- Confirm exclusions and assumptions: ask what the customer must supply, what is not priced, and whether the quoted performance and orbit meet the mission requirement.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
