Space Regulatory Glossary Industry

payload

/ˈpeɪloʊd/ noun

1. The mission-specific equipment carried by a satellite or launch vehicle, as distinct from the bus (the platform providing power, propulsion, thermal control, and communications). For a communications satellite, the payload is the transponder suite; for an Earth observation satellite, it is the imaging instrument.
2. In launch vehicle context, the payload is the total mass delivered to orbit, including the satellite, any deployment mechanisms, and adapters. Payload capacity to specific orbits is the primary measure of a launch vehicle's capability.

Related terms

transponder A device on a communications satellite that receives an uplink signal, amplifies it, shifts it to a different… rideshare launch A launch arrangement in which multiple satellites from different operators share a single rocket, splitting the launch… synthetic aperture radar An active remote sensing technology that uses the motion of a satellite or aircraft to simulate a much larger antenna,…

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