BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) signed a Gen-3 early access agreement with a current international Gen-2 customer in support of Ukraine. The renewal contract adds Gen-3 very high-resolution imagery to the customer’s active Gen-2 low-latency, high-cadence monitoring services.
Renewal contract demonstrates valuable tip-and-cue utility of combined Gen-3 very high-resolution imagery and Gen-2 low-latency, high-cadence monitoring capabilities
“This important contract demonstrates the powerful, comprehensive tip-and-cue utility between our Gen-3 and Gen-2 systems. The two generations of satellites work synergistically as analysts seamlessly combine reliable high-cadence, time-diverse Gen-2 data with the enhanced very high-resolution capabilities of Gen-3,” said Brian O’Toole, BlackSky CEO.
Customers can incorporate Gen-3 and Gen-2 data seamlessly into their current workflow through BlackSky’s Spectra® tasking and analytics platform, enabling sustained monitoring operations over multiple locations using Gen-2 high-cadence imagery and analytics. Analysts have the option to collect low-latency very high-resolution Gen-3 imagery in response to localized, rapidly emerging situations.
“Accelerated international interest in Gen-3 is indicative of our customers’ growing confidence and trust in BlackSky’s commercial services as an integral part of their daily military and intelligence operations,” said O’Toole. “As we integrate more and more Gen-3 satellites into the fleet our early access customers will experience unparalleled reliability and quality of imagery at industry-leading speeds in support of the full range of strategic to tactical ISR operations.”
The proven on-orbit operational and technical heritage of Gen-2 has been leveraged into the design and operations of Gen-3. Gen-3 satellites generate rapid-revisit, time diverse 35-centimeter imagery that enables automated identification and classification of a wider library of vehicles, aircraft, vessels and other objects of military interest, enhancing the value of BlackSky’s current Gen-2 dawn-to-dusk dynamic monitoring services.
With two Gen-3 satellites on orbit, BlackSky is on track for a six-satellite Gen-3 constellation this year.