BlackSky Gen-3 reviewed 2026-05-17. Public Gen-3 materials describe full operating capacity based on 16 satellites on orbit. Four Gen-3 satellites had reached on-orbit first-light/commissioning by March 2026. Forecast now treats 2026 as four additional dedicated Electron missions, spreads the remaining initial buildout into 2027-2028, and adds lifecycle replenishment from 2030 based on 5+ year design life.
17 forecast rows linked to this constellation.
| Forecast entry | Year | Satellites | Orbit | Vehicle | Manufacturer | Mission | Launch likelihood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BlackSky Gen-3 5 |
4 linked spacecraft shown.
| 2026 |
| 1 |
| LEO |
| Electron |
| BlackSky |
| Earth Observation |
| 3.6 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 6 BlackSky next-generation very-high-resolution commercial Earth-imaging and dynamic monitoring constellation. | 2026 | 1 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3.6 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 7 BlackSky next-generation very-high-resolution commercial Earth-imaging and dynamic monitoring constellation. | 2026 | 1 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3.6 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 8 BlackSky next-generation very-high-resolution commercial Earth-imaging and dynamic monitoring constellation. | 2026 | 1 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3.6 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 annual deployment - Electron 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2027 | 4 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 annual deployment - Electron 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2028 | 8 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2030 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2031 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2032 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2033 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2034 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2035 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2036 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2037 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2038 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2039 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| BlackSky Gen-3 lifecycle replenishment - anticipated 35 cm electro-optical imaging with short-wave infrared capability and AI-enabled analytics support. | 2040 | 3 | LEO | Electron | BlackSky | Earth Observation | 3 / 5 |
| active |
| LEO |
| Nov 20, 2025 |
| Global-34 | active | LEO | Mar 5, 2026 |