BlackSky, a leading provider of real-time geospatial intelligence and global monitoring services that recently announced a planned business combination with Osprey Technology Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: SFTW), has shared that its BlackSky 7 satellite completed the commissioning process and entered full commercial operations within two weeks of launch. Further, the company has revealed two additional BlackSky satellites have been shipped to a launch facility in New Zealand for its next planned launch mission with Rocket Lab named “Running out of Toes” scheduled for May 2021.
BlackSky’s enhanced commissioning capabilities showcase advanced levels of automation and asynchronous system evaluations that allow rapid integration of new satellites into its constellation. These features streamline the company’s ability to rapidly grow the space sensor network and extend capacity to deliver real-time intelligence with average one-hour, dawn-to-dusk imaging revisit rates and average 90-minute delivery times.
“With our latest launch, our customers are witnessing how we have built the infrastructure for delivering on-demand geospatial intelligence capacity,” said Brian E. O’Toole, CEO of BlackSky. “These investments in our delivery infrastructure enable customers to access real-time situational awareness, and ensure they have access to first-to-know insights about the things that matter most to them.”
BlackSky previously announced launch plans with Rocket Lab to deploy eight additional satellites in 2021. The company expects to have 14 satellites on orbit by the close of the year. BlackSky seeks to build its constellation to 30 high-resolution multi-spectral satellites capable of monitoring the most important locations on Earth every 30 minutes, day or night.
