Launch Options for 100 to 200 kg Satellites: Rideshare Plates, Small Launchers and 2027 Prices

A satellite of 100 to 200 kg has three realistic routes to orbit: a rideshare plate on a large rocket, a slot sold by a rideshare integrator, or a small launcher that carries it alone or with a few others. On the SpaceX rideshare program, the public price configuration lists $7,500 per kg for the 2027 payment year, so 100 kg costs $750,000 and 200 kg costs $1.5 million before options such as a separation system. Dedicated small launchers such as Rocket Lab Electron (300 kg to LEO), Firefly Alpha (630 kg to SSO), Isar Aerospace Spectrum (700 kg to SSO) and ISRO's SSLV (500 kg to a 500 km orbit) can lift a satellite of this size on its own, but none of them publishes a price. This guide sorts the options by what a 100 to 200 kg satellite actually needs: plate size, interface, orbit, date and budget. All figures were checked against the providers' own pages on 26 October 2026.

Why 100 to 200 kg is its own class

Below about 100 kg, most satellites are CubeSats or small microsatellites that share a dispenser or a quarter plate. Above about 300 kg, satellites start to fill a full rideshare plate or a large part of a small launcher. The 100 to 200 kg range sits in between, and it is where the pricing rules of the rideshare market start to matter most:

Minimum spend: SpaceX charges by mass with a minimum per plate size. The price configuration of its booking system lists minimum spend masses of 50 kg for a quarter plate, 100 kg for a half plate, 200 kg for a full plate and 300 kg for an XL plate. A 100 to 200 kg satellite lands right on these thresholds.
Interface: satellites of this size usually separate with a circular separation system (8 inch or 15 inch) or a 4-point system, and the interface decides which plate fits. A 24 inch interface needs a full plate.
Share of a small launcher: a 150 kg satellite would use half of Electron's published 300 kg LEO capacity, but only about a fifth to a quarter of Alpha's or Spectrum's SSO capacity. On the small launchers this class is a large customer, which affects scheduling and negotiating power.

If you are still deciding between sharing a rocket and buying a whole one, our guide on rideshare vs dedicated launch for small satellites explains the general trade-offs. This article focuses on the concrete options for this mass class.

Launch options for 100 to 200 kg at a glance

Published capacity, price and status as of 26 October 2026, from the providers' own sources:

SpaceX rideshare (Falcon 9): price $7,000 per kg (2026) and $7,500 per kg (2027), half plate minimum 100 kg, full plate minimum 200 kg; two SSO flights with open capacity in the booking system, NET June 2027 and NET October 2027, both 500 to 600 km.
SEOPS Waymaker (rideshare on Falcon 9): Half (100 kg included), Full (200 kg included) and XL (300 kg included) classes; Waymaker-1 to a mid-inclination orbit at about 500 km, target window early 2028; Waymaker-2 to SSO at about 500 km, late 2028. No public price.
Rocket Lab Electron: 300 kg to LEO, dedicated or rideshare; 97 launches to date according to Rocket Lab; three dedicated launch pads. No public price.
Firefly Alpha: 1,030 kg to a 300 km LEO and 630 kg to a 500 km SSO; dedicated launches and rideshare missions; Flight 7 launched in March 2026. No public price.
Isar Aerospace Spectrum: 1,000 kg to LEO and 700 kg to SSO; reached orbit on its second flight from Andøya, Norway, on 5 September 2026. No public price.
ISRO SSLV (via NSIL): designed to launch up to 500 kg into a 500 km LEO. No public price.
Vega C (Avio): up to 2,300 kg to LEO, with SSMS adapters that release multiple small satellites on one flight. No public price.

Only SpaceX publishes a price per kilogram. For every other route you need a quote.

Rideshare on SpaceX: which plate fits 100 to 200 kg

The SpaceX Rideshare Payload User's Guide (Version 11, August 2026) defines several plate types. For a 100 to 200 kg satellite three of them are relevant:

Quarter plate: 8 inch or 15 inch circular interfaces. The price configuration lists a maximum mass of 300 kg and a minimum spend mass of 50 kg. If your satellite fits the volume, you pay for its actual mass.
Half plate: 8 inch or 15 inch circular interfaces and 4-point interfaces 16 inches wide. Maximum mass 452 kg, minimum spend mass 100 kg.
Full plate: 24 inch interfaces and a range of 4-point interfaces; a version with a 177.8 mm intrusion also takes a 15 inch interface on a SpaceX adapter cone. Maximum mass 831 kg, minimum spend mass 200 kg.

In practice, volume decides more often than mass. A compact 120 kg satellite on a 15 inch separation system may fit a quarter plate volume; a satellite of the same mass with large deployables stowed on the outside may need a half plate. The plate volumes are drawn in Appendix A of the user's guide, and customers verify the fit themselves with their CAD model. Because the minimum spend masses are 100 kg for a half plate and 200 kg for a full plate, a satellite in this class rarely pays for unused mass on a half plate, but a 120 kg satellite that needs a full plate would pay for 200 kg.

The price per kg rises every year: the price configuration lists $5,500 for 2023, $6,000 for 2024, $6,500 for 2025, $7,000 for 2026 and $7,500 for 2027. The full table and the payment year rule are explained in our article on the SpaceX rideshare price per kg by year.

Options add up quickly in this mass class. At 2027 prices, the price configuration lists an 8 inch separation system at $370,500, a 15 inch system at $451,000 and a 24 inch system at $692,600, plus $54,250 if you need to fuel the satellite at the launch site. For a 150 kg satellite, a SpaceX 15 inch separation system costs more than a third of the launch price itself, so check early whether you bring your own system.

Rideshare through an integrator: SEOPS Waymaker

Integrators and brokers buy capacity on large rockets and resell it with integration services. One integrator publishes mass classes that match this segment almost exactly. SEOPS sells its Waymaker missions in a Half Volume class with 100 kg included, a Full Volume class with 200 kg included and an XL Volume class with 300 kg included, plus a Cake Topper position. According to SEOPS, Waymaker-1 is a rideshare mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9:

Waymaker-1: mid-inclination orbit, nominal insertion altitude about 500 km, target launch window early 2028, single-drop deployment.
Waymaker-2: sun-synchronous orbit, about 500 km, target launch window late 2028.

SEOPS states that capacity is reserved only once a Launch Services Agreement is signed, so a reservation request alone does not hold a slot. The mid-inclination option matters because the SpaceX booking system lists no mid-inclination flight at the moment; our comparison of SpaceX Transporter and Bandwagon explains why. For other integrators and what they add on top of the launch, see our comparison of launch brokers and rideshare integrators.

Dedicated and shared small launchers

A small launcher gives you more control over orbit and date, because your satellite is the main payload or one of only a few. For a 100 to 200 kg satellite these vehicles are the main candidates:

Rocket Lab Electron

Rocket Lab lists Electron with 300 kg to LEO and calls it "dedicated access to space for small satellites". Its Kick Stage serves missions "whether flying as dedicated or rideshare". Rocket Lab reports 97 launches to date and three dedicated launch pads. The 96th mission on 19 September 2026 placed a radar satellite for Synspective into "an exact 572km low Earth orbit"; it was Electron's 17th launch of 2026. In our assessment, Electron is effectively a dedicated ride for a 100 to 200 kg satellite: the payload uses a large share of the rocket's capacity, so the mission can be planned around that one customer's orbit. Rocket Lab does not publish prices. See Electron on Carrier Space.

Firefly Alpha

Firefly lists Alpha with 1,030 kg to a 300 km LEO and 630 kg to a 500 km SSO, and a fairing 5 m high and 2.2 m in diameter. Firefly says Alpha supports "dedicated launches and rideshare missions". Firefly announced the launch of Alpha Flight 7 on 11 March 2026 and a Block II configuration upgrade for Flight 8. On 9 September 2026 it signed a contract with SSC Space for two Alpha launches from Esrange Space Center in Sweden. A 100 to 200 kg satellite would fill only part of an Alpha, so ask Firefly whether a shared Alpha mission to your orbit is planned. See Alpha on Carrier Space.

Isar Aerospace Spectrum

Isar Aerospace lists Spectrum with 1,000 kg to LEO and 700 kg to SSO. On 5 September 2026, its second flight, "Onward and Upward", reached orbit from Andøya in Norway and deployed satellites selected through the German Space Agency's microlauncher competition. Isar says Spectrum vehicles 3 to 7 are already in production and that a launch complex in Nova Scotia, Canada, is under construction for mid- to high-inclination orbits. On 15 September 2026 Isar signed an agreement with SEOPS for five dedicated launches from 2028 to 2030. For a European satellite in this class, Spectrum is the first commercial launcher from continental Europe to reach orbit; our Spectrum guide covers booking. See Spectrum on Carrier Space.

ISRO SSLV

NSIL, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation, describes the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle as a three-stage solid rocket designed for "Launch on Demand" with "a capability to launch upto 500 kg satellite mass into 500 km LEO". A satellite of 100 to 200 kg could fly as the main payload or with others. Export rules and the flight record matter here; our guide to Indian launch options covers both. See SSLV on Carrier Space.

Vega C

Avio lists Vega C with up to 2,300 kg to LEO and says it "takes full advantage of the capabilities of the various SSMS (Small Spacecraft Mission Service) payload adapters", with the AVUM+ upper stage able to release multiple satellites into different orbits on one mission. Avio does not publish mass classes or prices for SSMS positions, so a 100 to 200 kg satellite needs a specific request. Our Vega C guide lists the flights so far. See Vega C on Carrier Space.

Worked example: a 150 kg Earth observation satellite

Take an operator with a 150 kg satellite on a 15 inch interface that needs a sun-synchronous orbit at about 550 km and will be ready to ship in spring 2027. The following figures are our own calculation from SpaceX's public price configuration (2027 payment year) and user's guide:

Launch price on SpaceX rideshare: 150 kg times $7,500 per kg is $1,125,000. The 50 kg quarter plate minimum and the 100 kg half plate minimum do not apply because the satellite is heavier.
Separation system: a SpaceX 15 inch system costs $451,000 at 2027 prices. Total with the SpaceX system: $1,576,000, or about $10,500 per kg.
Date: SpaceX's typical rideshare schedule starts with mission analysis inputs eight months before launch and range safety submissions six months before launch. The October 2027 SSO flight fits a satellite that is ready in spring 2027; the June 2027 flight would need mission analysis inputs about now.
If the plate does not fit: if the satellite needs a full plate, the 200 kg minimum applies and the launch price rises to $1,500,000 before the separation system.
Alternatives to quote: a dedicated or shared Electron mission (orbit chosen for you), a shared Alpha or Spectrum mission (more margin, European option with Spectrum), and the SEOPS Waymaker-2 Full class (200 kg included, SSO, late 2028).

For SpaceX the public data is enough to plan a budget. For the small launchers and integrators it is not, so the only way to compare is to request offers on the same basis: mass with margin, interface, target orbit, earliest launch date and whether you bring your own separation system.

How to choose: five questions

How exact must your orbit be? On a rideshare you accept the orbit of the mission, for example 500 to 600 km SSO on the open SpaceX flights. If you need a specific altitude, local time or inclination, a small launcher or an orbital transfer vehicle may be worth the higher price.
What is your interface? 8 inch and 15 inch interfaces fit quarter and half plates on SpaceX; 24 inch needs a full plate. Check the plate volumes before you choose.
When is the satellite really ready? Work backwards from the provider's schedule. On SpaceX the formal process starts eight months before launch; separation systems bought from SpaceX need lead time too.
Do you need a European launch? Funding rules can require one. Spectrum and Vega C are the European options for this class that have reached orbit; our guide to the ESA Flight Ticket Initiative explains co-funded European launches.
How much schedule risk can you carry? Ask each provider how they handle a delay on their side and on yours.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to launch a 100 kg satellite?

On the SpaceX rideshare program, the public price configuration lists $7,500 per kg for 2027, so a 100 kg satellite costs $750,000 for the launch alone, or $700,000 at 2026 prices. A SpaceX separation system costs extra, $370,500 for 8 inch or $451,000 for 15 inch at 2027 prices. Other providers do not publish prices.

Which rockets can launch a 150 kg satellite on its own?

Rocket Lab Electron (300 kg to LEO), Firefly Alpha (630 kg to a 500 km SSO), Isar Aerospace Spectrum (700 kg to SSO) and ISRO's SSLV (up to 500 kg to a 500 km LEO) all list enough capacity. On Electron a 150 kg satellite uses half of the published capacity; on Alpha and Spectrum it leaves room for other payloads.

Is a half plate or a full plate better for a 150 kg satellite?

It depends on your interface and volume, not on mass alone. The half plate takes 8 inch, 15 inch and 16 inch wide 4-point interfaces up to 452 kg; the full plate takes 24 inch and other 4-point interfaces up to 831 kg but has a 200 kg minimum spend mass. If your satellite fits a half plate, you pay for 150 kg; on a full plate you pay for 200 kg.

Can I book a 100 to 200 kg slot in Europe?

Yes. Isar Aerospace's Spectrum reached orbit from Norway on 5 September 2026, and Avio's Vega C carries multiple small satellites with SSMS adapters. Neither publishes a price, so request a quote. Check whether your mission qualifies for co-funding under the ESA Flight Ticket Initiative.

How early should I book?

SpaceX's typical rideshare schedule starts eight months before launch, and the open SpaceX SSO flights are NET June 2027 and NET October 2027. SEOPS targets early and late 2028 for Waymaker-1 and Waymaker-2. In our own planning estimate, start comparing offers 12 to 18 months before you want to fly; this is not a provider rule. Our article on satellite launch lead times has the details.

Compare launch options for your satellite on Carrier Space

For a 100 to 200 kg satellite, the cheapest published price per kg is not always the best fit: plate size, interface, orbit and date can change the answer. On Carrier Space you can compare providers, brokers, launch vehicles and scheduled missions with consistent data checked weekly, and put rockets side by side in the vehicle comparison. Send one request with your mass, interface, target orbit and earliest launch date to up to five providers and brokers you pick. Carrier Space checks it and forwards it anonymously, and the indicative offers come back in one comparable view. The request is free for customers.

Sources

Cover image: NASA and Firefly Aerospace engineers review the integration plan for NASA's R5-S4 spacecraft at Firefly's Payload Processing Facility, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, 24 April 2024. Credit: NASA/Jacob Nunez-Kearny (KSC-20240424-PH-FRF01_0007).