BlackSky Technology Inc. announced the signing of a significant eight-figure international contract to provide a sovereign space-based intelligence solution to a global defense customer.
The agreement includes the sale of a single high-resolution Gen-3 satellite, multi-year on-orbit operations, and subscription-based “Assured” imagery and analytics services.
Transition to Sovereign Space Intelligence
As reported earlier on SatNews, there is a growing sense that too much dependance on a select few launch providers will put their missions and assets at undue risk.
The contract highlights a strategic shift among international defense agencies toward the “Sovereign-Commercial Nexus,” where nations purchase dedicated hardware while leveraging existing commercial software architectures. By using BlackSky’s fully automated Spectra® software platform, the customer will achieve national on-orbit capabilities in months rather than years. This follows BlackSky’s landmark 2024 agreement with the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, which established the blueprint for this sovereign access model.
Gen-3 Technical Specifications and NIIRS-5+ Clarity
The Gen-3 constellation represents a significant leap from previous iterations, moving the industry standard toward “answers” rather than just “images” through onboard edge processing.
- Spatial Resolution: 35-centimeter imagery (at nadir), providing NIIRS-5+ tactical-level clarity.
- Spectral Bands: Panchromatic and multispectral data, including a dedicated Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) sensor for imaging through haze, smoke, and low-light conditions.
- Tasking Latency: Intelligence delivery in as little as 60 to 90 minutes from collection.
- AI Integration: Enhanced detection and classification of tactical objects such as aircraft, maritime vessels, and mobile land vehicles.
Executive Perspective
“With this agreement, our customer will have national on-orbit, best-in-class 35-centimeter imaging and AI-enabled analytics capabilities within months, not years,” said Brian O’Toole, BlackSky CEO. “BlackSky is accelerating how our global customer base adopts advanced, space-based intelligence by quickly moving Gen-3 units from our agile production line through our rapid deployment process.”
Integration with Existing Constellation
Until the dedicated satellite enters service, the customer will utilize BlackSky’s “Assured” services, which provide uncontested tasking priority over the company’s current LEO constellation. Once operational, the new Gen-3 unit will function in parallel with the broader constellation, which recently saw its third Gen-3 satellite enter commercial operations in December 2025 following a successful Rocket Lab launch. This hybrid approach ensures immediate ISR capability during the hardware manufacturing and deployment phase.