WASHINGTON — Three rideshare launch service providers are joining forces to support launches to geostationary orbit.
Innovative Solutions in Space (ISISPACE), Maverick Space Systems and SEOPS announced Dec. 19 a partnership focused on launch opportunities to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The companies will remain independent but cooperate on GTO launch options for payloads.
“We’ve had the privilege of working alongside each other for years on many different launch campaigns and have discovered we all share a mission-first culture and a ‘roll-up-your-sleeves’ work ethic,” Chad Brinkley, chief executive of SEOPS, said in a statement. “Working more closely together was a natural step forward.”
SEOPS announced Nov. 19 that it had acquired a dedicated Falcon 9 mission to GTO planned to launch in late 2028. The company said at the time it did not have any firm customers for the mission but was seeing strong interest from potential commercial and government customers.
Under the partnership, SEOPS will offer that mission and other “innovative capacity programs” along with experience managing complex rideshare missions. ISISPACE has its own long experience in rideshare missions along with smallsat and launch equipment. Maverick Space has expertise with deployment systems on vehicles ranging from small launchers to EELV-class rockets, supporting commercial and U.S. government customers.
“As a pioneer in commercial small satellite launch integration for nearly two decades, we have seen the market develop to the interesting mix of launch supply and launch needs we see today,” Abe Bonnema, cofounder of ISISPACE, said in a statement. “As we need to adapt to market needs continuously, working with our like-minded partners to jointly offer GTO rideshare services to our international customers is a strategic step in that process.”
“While existing launch opportunities effectively serve the LEO market, the GTO market remains underserved,” said Roland Coelho, chief executive of Maverick Space, in the statement. “We are thrilled to collaborate with SEOPS on their 2028 GTO rideshare mission to help unlock the GTO market.”
The companies are continuing to serve customers for other orbits while working together on this GTO partnership. SEOPS announced Dec. 9 that it received a NASA task order under the Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) contract for the launch of what the agency calls the Streamlined CubeSat Launch Services (SCLS) R5-S9 mission. The task order covers the launch of a 6U cubesat in 2025 as well as payload processing and launch services.
NASA and SEOPS did not disclose the value of the task order, a common practice for VADR awards.