BlackSky’s New Satellites Complete Commissioning, Enter Revenue-Generating Operations Within 18 Hours

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BlackSky Technology Inc. successfully commissioned two new satellites that began revenue-generating commercial operations within 18 hours of “The Beat Goes On” launch mission.

“BlackSky has more than doubled our on-orbit capacity in the last 18 months, with enough capacity to support growth over the next two years,” said Nick Merski, BlackSky chief operating officer. “Our flexible architecture gives us the ability to realize incremental benefits quickly as we add ever-advancing, multi-generational capability to our constellation.”

BlackSky’s first-of-a-kind commercial constellation provides reliable and dynamic hourly monitoring, up to 15 times a day from dawn until dusk.

“With next generation capabilities on the horizon, this launch reinforces BlackSky’s relentless commitment to advancing consistent and uninterrupted real-time intelligence and global monitoring services for our customers,” Merski added.

BlackSky achieved a baseline operational constellation of 14 low earth orbit small satellites in 2022. The satellites launched Friday temporarily bring the total number of operational spacecraft to 16. The new satellites will eventually assume the operational role of two satellites deployed in 2018 which have exceeded their three-year design lifespan by more than one year.