>>12363947People always bring up RocketLab in the tug conversation, I don't see it. RocketLab is using some shitty monoprop engine (read:low performance), isn't planning to launch with other providers, and then has tacked on "independent satellite" capability which with no sophisticated instrumentation or even any specific purpose just sounds like a cope word for "graveyard orbit". They could improve down the line, but they aren't showing a strong model.
Momentus is at least looking at the right path with decent performance, (supposedly) low cost, and targeting various launchers instead of being shackled to a dedicated smallsat launcher which means they're chasing the right market.
That said the SpaceX could probably make their own tug based on the shit they've been putting on hundreds of Starlinks and probably blow everyone out on price, maybe capability as well.
