BlackSky Ships First Gen-3 Satellite for Expected Launch in February

Gen-3 satellites to add very high-resolution 35-centimeter imagery to the company’s AI-enabled dynamic monitoring platform

HERNDON, Va., January 23, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) ships its first Gen-3 satellite to launch provider Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) today. The satellite is planned for launch in February from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The Gen-3 constellation will offer customers new mission critical insights with the addition of very high-resolution, rapid-revisit 35-centimeter imagery and AI-enabled analytics delivered at industry-leading speed and scale.

“Gen-3 represents a transformative leap forward for space-based intelligence, combining very high- resolution imagery with high frequency monitoring,” said Brian O’Toole, BlackSky CEO. “When combined with BlackSky Spectra®, the Gen-3 constellation is designed to deliver data at sub-hourly, mission-relevant speeds. We look forward to the inaugural launch and introducing the advanced features of our Gen-3 satellites to our customers.”

“BlackSky has developed Gen-3 to address significant demand from key defense and intelligence customers around the world as evidenced by the significant contracted backlog we have secured for Gen-3 services,” said O’Toole. “Once we commission this first satellite, we expect to move forward with a regular cadence of additional launches throughout the year as more Gen-3 satellites come off the production line.”

The evolution of BlackSky’s constellation will continue to optimize for increased capacity and flexibility with the regular addition of Gen-3 satellites. Gen-3 customers will be able to conduct the automated detection, identification and classification of a wide library of vehicles, aircraft, vessels and other objects of tactical interest. Low-latency intersatellite communications will give customers the flexibility to conduct high-priority, last-minute tasking, while agile onboard attitude control systems allow for maximum on-orbit operational efficiency. These new capabilities will further enable BlackSky’s space-based intelligence applications for tactical ISR missions and strategic intelligence operations.

About BlackSky

BlackSky is a real-time, space-based intelligence company that delivers on-demand, high frequency imagery, analytics, and high-frequency monitoring of the most critical and strategic locations, economic assets, and events in the world. BlackSky owns and operates one of the industry’s most advanced, purpose-built commercial, real-time intelligence systems that combines the power of the BlackSky Spectra® tasking and analytics software platform and our proprietary low earth orbit satellite constellation.

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