Cubesats/Smallsats/Nanosats/Picosats/Rideshare(sats) in 2022: Making Sense of the Numbers

We last presented on this topic in 2018. Since not much has happened in the intervening 4 years … oh, wait. In addition to the new normal of more than 100 CubeSats deployed on orbit each year, we now have about three dozen operational small-satellite constellations (including OneWeb spacecraft launched by the dozens and Starlinks by the dozens of dozens). And now the SDA is threatening to add hundreds more. In this paper we will make a bold attempt to make sense of all these numbers. We will examine the launch statistics from a variety of angles, attempt to create useful generalities about missions flown, mission success (and failure). We will identify trends and opportunities in terms of access to space and the kinds of missions flown (and not flown).