BlackSky Technology Inc. won a multimillion-dollar Defense Innovation Unit Gen-3 Tactical GEOINT (TACGEO) launch integration contract that expands on early U.S. government-funded R&D efforts to build out advanced space-based tactical ISR capabilities. Under the contract, BlackSky will prepare and manage a Gen-3 satellite launch, on behalf of the customer.
“BlackSky is on a mission to push the transformative advantage of space-based, real-time intelligence to the farthest corners of the battlefield,” said Brian O’Toole, BlackSky CEO. “When combined with our BlackSky Spectra platform, our Gen-3 constellation will deliver a next level of performance with low-latency AI-enabled analytics while a mission is ongoing.”
As part of the contract, BlackSky will support end-to-end, pre-flight to on-orbit activities including hardware and systems integration, launch site and mission management, and commissioning services.
The TACGEO program was designed to support the Department of Defense’s needs for responsive, space-based tactical ISR. The program has validated Gen-3's technological readiness and tactical utility for distributing timely insights to warfighters in various training and exercise settings.
The evolution of BlackSky’s constellation continues to optimize for additional capacity and flexibility. The introduction of low-latency inter-satellite communications will give customers more flexibility for high-priority, last-minute tasking missions while highly agile onboard attitude control systems will enable maximum operational efficiency.
BlackSky’s constellation delivers timely insights that are not achievable using traditional mapping approaches. In addition to the automatic detection, identification, and classification of a wider library of vehicles, aircraft, vessels, and other objects of tactical interest, the Gen-3 constellation will introduce a new capability for BlackSky customers: the ability to image through smoke and haze with Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) bands.
The improved resolution and enhanced spectral diversity of the Gen-3 satellites will extend BlackSky’s ability to provide real-time insights to its customers in a broad set of conditions, including nighttime, low light, and challenging weather.
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