Space access for small satellites on rideshare missions with ESPA and ESPA-derived payload adapters

Rideshare reduces launch costs while enabling access to space for the fast-growing small satellite community. Combinations of spacecraft are launched as secondary and tertiary payloads or as co-manifested primary payloads. Payload adapters designed for the launch environment are used to package the spacecraft on the launch vehicle. This paper reviews a subset of the adapter hardware with flight heritage and some new adapters in development.