This may seem odd, but currently, space launches are similar to sporting events: they are exciting because they are infrequent and have a high risk of accident. At CubeCab, we would like to change this: make launch safe, repeatable, and frequent enough that it becomes boring.
The concept came from our research into CubeSats (since before our incorporation in 2014) and the struggle for CubeSat builders to launch their satellites, whether it be academics, NASA, DOD, or just ordinary people. Other launchers use the "rideshare" model where your satellite waits in a hangar for a year or more, launches with many others to whatever trajectory the larger satellites (which pay for more of the ride) dictate, or gets delayed indefinitely due to problems with those larger satellites. It's like riding third class on a train, plane, or bus: you go when they go and where they go. If any of the large satellite owners think your payload might be a problem, you are off the ride with no alternative.
However, many CubeSat missions are not counted on graphs like the above, as they cannot wait or find rides they are compatible with, so they do not even get a chance to fail. If only there were a cab for CubeSats, this unmet need could be served and many more people would have access to space. This was the inspiration for our name, CubeCab.
CubeCab's primary research has centered on the commercial viability of a CubeSat launcher, though our research has expanded to other Projects about potential uses for CubeSats. Our main conclusion is that there is big potential for small satellites.
Based on this research, we are developing low-cost, no-frills, baseline services to enable as many users of space as possible. This is why, for instance, we only aim to launch to around 400 km. Customers who wish access to higher orbits are advised to equip their satellites with in-space propulsion such as ion engines, which also lets them dodge orbital debris, at a lower cost per km altitude. Our service has the advantage of a lower launch cost due to standardization: doing 100 of the same launch, over and over again, costs less per launch than doing 100 wildly different launches.
The 400 km orbit also helps cut down on orbital debris, which will be important with the rate of growth this technology inspires for space based assets: any payload that is, for whatever reason, non-operational upon delivery to orbit will naturally deorbit and burn up in the atmosphere from 400 km, much faster than it would from higher orbits.
CubeSats are where we are starting as that is what we see the most unmet demand for (see the graphs above). Once we establish launch service for CubeSats, we can upscale our designs to establish service for larger payload classes on the same terms, but there are other launch companies serving larger payload sizes so the unmet demand for larger launches is much lower.