BlackSky has announced a planned business combination with Osprey Technology Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: SFTW) the their BlackSky 7 satellite completed the commissioning process and has now entered full commercial operations, all within two weeks of the satellite’s launch.
This latest satellite was launched at 22:30 UTC on March 22, 2021, and delivered first insights and began limited commercial operations less than 24 hours later. Furthermore, the company revealed two additional BlackSky satellites have been shipped to a launch facility in New Zealand for the firm’s next planned launch mission with Rocket Lab named “Running out of Toes” that is 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.
BlackSky previously announced launch plans with Rocket Lab to deploy eight additional satellites during 2021. The company expects to have 14 satellites on-orbit by the close of the year. The company seeks to build its constellation to 30 high-resolution multi-spectral satellites that are capable of monitoring the most important locations on Earth every 30 minutes, day or night.
“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.”
