BlackSky is a leading provider of real-time geospatial intelligence, operating its own constellation of Earth observation satellites in low Earth orbit. The company delivers on-demand, high-frequency imagery, monitoring, and analytics of critical locations and events using its AI-powered Spectra platform. BlackSky serves government organizations and commercial enterprises, providing them with timely insights and data for strategic decision-making.
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The NRO awarded one-year study contracts in 2019 to Maxar, Planet, and BlackSky to evaluate the companies’ products and the projected size and capacity of their satellite constellations.
Based on RFI responses, the National Reconnaissance Office awarded study contracts of undisclosed value to BlackSky, Maxar, and Planet.
BlackSky had two satellites in orbit and planned to launch six more by the end of 2019.
Thales Alenia Space and Spaceflight announced the LeoStella joint venture in March 2018 as part of a $150,000,000 Series C investment round for Spaceflight to support development of the BlackSky constellation.
LeoStella will be responsible for building the BlackSky constellation after the first four satellites that Spaceflight built.
LeoStella-built BlackSky satellites will begin launching later 2019 at a pace intended to yield eight operational satellites by the first quarter of 2020 and 16 operational satellites by the first quarter of 2021.
BlackSky launched its first two satellites, Global-1 and Global-2, in November and December respectively on an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and a SpaceX Falcon 9.
LeoStella is seeking customers beyond BlackSky but has not announced any contracts with customers outside BlackSky.
LeoStella’s initial work is to build the remainder of BlackSky’s initial 20-satellite constellation.
Thales Alenia Space has formed a joint venture with Spaceflight Industries to develop small satellite production capabilities for the BlackSky constellation.
Deep Space Industries has a contract to provide 20 Comet thrusters to LeoStella, the joint venture of Spaceflight Industries and Thales Alenia Space, for the BlackSky imaging-satellite constellation, under a deal disclosed on 2018-04-03.
BlackSky plans to launch a constellation of up to 60 Earth observation satellites in unusual orbits to achieve high revisit rates over facilities of interest and track changes in economic supply chains or patterns of life.