u/OrbitalCommons

Smaller space companies seem to have the same choice. Build and own the satellite infrastructure, buy access to data from others, or build a service on top of existing data.

If several companies can buy access to the same satellite data, the data itself may not be much of an advantage. At the same time, owning satellites is expensive and do not automatically mean you have a good business.

Maybe the real value is in finding a specific problem and turning different data sources into somethin useful for the customer. Instead of just selling an image, maybe you sell an alert, a conclusion or some kind of decision support based on imagery, AIS, RF, weather or other data.

For people working in this field, where do you think the strongest long-term advantage is? Hardware, exclusive data, analysis, customer relationships, or some combination of these?

I've been reading more about hosted payloads lately.

For a smaller space company it seems like an interesting middle step between only buying data from others and spending a lot of money building and launching your own satellite.

You could build your own sensor or payload, keep control of the data, but use someone else’s satellite platform, launch and ground infrastructure.

It sounds like a good way to test if the payload and business model actually work before going much bigger.

But I'm sure there are disadvantages too. Dependency on the satellite operator, less control over orbit and mission planning, integration limits etc.

For people who have worked with this: when does a hosted payload make sense, and when is it better to build your own satellite?

Have been reading more about hosted payloads, rideshare launches and companies buying satellite data instead of owning a full constellation.

Makes me wonder if a new space company should start with the data or service first, find out what customers actually need, and only later build its own payload or satellite.

That seems like a much lower risk way to start.

But maybe there are disadvantages I am missing. Does not owning the satellite create too much dependency on other companies?

Curious what people here think.