Launch and Supply Chain for EO Operators
What do EO operators depend on to build and launch their fleets, and where are the bottlenecks?
Chapter summary
EO constellations rely on rideshare launches (mostly SpaceX's Transporter missions) and small dedicated rockets (Rocket Lab's Electron), and on a supply chain of components that the S7 study ranks as bottlenecks: radiation-tolerant processors for on-board AI, optical terminals for relays, star trackers and reaction wheels for agility, and solar cells.
Key takeaways
- 1
Launch failures in 2026 (an Indian PSLV mission lost EOS-N1; another launcher failure destroyed an EO mission and fifteen small satellites) show the risk of single launches.
- 2
Synspective's booking of 20 more Electron launches for 2028–2031 shows operators securing launch years ahead.
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