[Satellite TODAY 09-10-10] Astrium and SpaceX have entered into an agreement to provide cooperative launch services to the European very small satellite market by marketing SpaceX’s Falcon 1e launch capabilities to space agencies and other institutional customers, the companies announced Sept. 9.
    The two companies will work together to promote and book Falcon 1e launches through 2015. Astrium and SpaceX aim to provide customers with very small payloads the ability to launch independently to low-Earth orbit, while providing greater control over the launch and actual launch schedule at a lower cost-per-flight.
    “This agreement will provide European customers with a launch service that complements existing options. In this way, any European customer will be capable of launching very small spacecraft on dedicated launches as primary payloads,” Astrium Space Transportation CEO Alain Charmeau said in a statement.