SEOPS Secures Falcon 9 Launch for GTO Rideshare Mission in 2028

SEOPS, a small satellite launch integrator, has confirmed its plans to launch a dedicated rideshare mission to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket in late 2028.

The announcement was made at Space Tech Expo Europe on November 19, where SEOPS also revealed its acquisition of additional capacity on other SpaceX launches during 2028.

A Strategic Step to Meet Growing Demand

The move comes in response to increasing demand for cislunar space access and GTO missions. Chad Brinkley, SEOPS CEO, called the agreement a necessary step to address market needs:

“With the surge demand for access to cislunar space, we’re approaching a pivotal moment where prolific access to GTO is a must.”

This mission, which will launch from Florida, is designed to carry multiple payloads stacked for deployment in GTO. Customers will have the option to use orbital transfer vehicles to reach their final orbits or rely on their payloads’ own propulsion systems.

Although no customers have been confirmed yet, Brinkley stated that strong interest from both commercial and government sectors was enough to warrant committing to the mission.

New European Partnership Announced

In addition to its launch plans, SEOPS has partnered with Axient Systems to create a comprehensive solution for European payload customers. Axient will manage mission systems engineering, while SEOPS will provide launch services, deployment hardware, and related expertise.

The partnership will debut with PAMI-1, a mission for the Netherlands Ministry of Defense, focused on demonstrating laser communications and sensor technology. Speaking about the collaboration, Brinkley noted:

“Leveraging years of success executing complex missions for the U.S. government, we’re excited to bring our capabilities and track record to a wider audience and open up a new frontier in Europe.”

Competing in a Crowded Market

SEOPS is stepping into a competitive arena. Just days earlier, Impulse Space announced three Falcon 9 missions for its Helios transfer vehicle, which will transport payloads from low Earth orbit to geostationary and other destinations. Similarly, Exotrail has scheduled a mission to GTO in 2026 as a secondary payload on an Ariane 6 rocket.

SEOPS’s focus on flexible launch services and its new European collaboration position the company to capture a share of the rapidly growing market for GTO and cislunar missions.