Space Regulatory Glossary Industry

smallsat

noun

1. A satellite with a mass typically under 500 kg, encompassing CubeSats, microsatellites (10-100 kg), and minisatellites (100-500 kg). The smallsat segment has driven the majority of growth in orbital launches since 2015.
2. Smallsats have enabled new business models including Earth observation constellations, IoT connectivity, and technology demonstration missions at a fraction of traditional satellite costs. The FCC introduced a streamlined Part 25 small satellite licensing process in 2019 to reduce regulatory burden.

Read: How Satellite Licensing Works

Related terms

CubeSat A class of miniaturized satellite built to a standard form factor based on 10 cm cubes (1U = 10x10x10 cm, up to 2 kg… rideshare launch A launch arrangement in which multiple satellites from different operators share a single rocket, splitting the launch… mega-constellation A satellite constellation consisting of hundreds or thousands of coordinated spacecraft, typically in low Earth orbit,…

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