What is a "payload adapter"?

Question

What is a "payload adapter"? For example, from the following page:

The IXV Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle installed on its payload adapter, on 26 January 2015 at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

— IXV Installed on its Payload Adapter, ESA Space in Images

Similar: Can all satellites/spacecraft be used interchangeably with all launch vehicles? — Everyone, Jan 28 '15 at 15:17
It is a structure that works as an interface between the spacecraft and the launcher. During launch the s/c is attached to the adapter which in turn is attached to the launcher — Rhei, Jan 30 '15 at 15:28

score 12 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 28 '15 at 14:38

Payloads come in different shapes and sizes. To put them on a specific launch vehicle, you need to either design the payload to fit perfectly onto the rocket or you need some sort of adapter to mount it in place. It's also common to launch multiple payloads with a single launch, so you need some mechanism to separate the different payloads and release them into their respective orbits.

For more information, see the Wikipedia article on the ESPA

What is a "payload adapter"?

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