BlackSky and Rocket Lab Set Launch Date for First Gen-3 Satellite

"This launch represents a major inflection point for our global defense and intelligence customer base as BlackSky introduces very high-resolution Gen-3 capabilities to our high-frequency, low-latency monitoring constellation," said Brian O'Toole, BlackSky CEO. "As more Gen-3 satellites complete production, we expect a regular cadence of additional launches over the coming year."

Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle will deploy the Gen-3 satellite, continuing the long-standing collaboration between the two companies. "Electron is a trusted and reliable constellation builder for companies like BlackSky, allowing them to be in control of how, when, and where to deploy their constellation," said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck. "BlackSky is one of our earliest and longest-standing commercial satellite customers, and it's great to be heading back to the pad with them once again to continue to advance and expand their constellation."

The ongoing deployment of Gen-3 satellites will enhance BlackSky's constellation, ensuring greater imaging capacity and operational flexibility. With these upgrades, BlackSky customers will be able to leverage automated tools for detecting, identifying, and classifying various objects of interest, including vehicles, aircraft, and vessels. These capabilities are designed to support a broad range of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations for tactical and strategic applications.