BlackSky to Expand Constellation to Deliver High-Cadence, Multi-Spectral Broad Area Collection Capabilities
New satellites will augment latest Gen-3 high frequency monitoring constellation with purpose-built platform for large area mapping, search and change monitoring
BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) unveiled plans to expand its current high frequency monitoring constellation with multispectral, large-area collection satellites. These new satellites will be designed to support country scale digital mapping, navigation, maritime and 3D digital twin applications at unmatched speed and scale. Initially designated as AROS, the new satellites will augment the high frequency site monitoring capabilities of Gen-3 to provide customers with dynamic broad area search, change monitoring, and predictable refresh of large area and 3D mapping datasets. BlackSky is engaged with development partners with plans to launch as early as 2027.
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BlackSky unveiled plans to expand its current high frequency monitoring constellation with multispectral, large-area collection satellites. These new satellites will be designed to support country scale digital mapping, navigation, maritime and 3D digital twin applications at unmatched speed and scale. Initially designated as AROS, the new satellites will augment the high frequency site monitoring capabilities of Gen-3 to provide customers with dynamic broad area search, change monitoring, and predictable refresh of large area and 3D mapping datasets. BlackSky plans to launch AROS as early as 2027. Artist rendition: BlackSky.
AROS is optimized to collect new multispectral, proprietary, country and region scale datasets and is engineered to power the next wave of AI-driven geospatial and digital twin applications. This constellation will address upcoming gaps in the market as legacy large area collection satellites age out of service over the next few years and are replaced with lower collection capacity satellites. AROS will fill the gap with increased capabilities at disruptive speed and more favorable economics.
"As legacy satellites approach end-of-life, we see a critical opportunity to address market needs—not just in performance and agility—but also in affordability and AI-readiness. As confirmed through active customer and partner engagement, BlackSky is meeting the modern demands of governments and commercial users who need persistent visibility over very large areas, fast," said Brian O'Toole, BlackSky CEO.
BlackSky's future, integrated constellation will be a first of its kind platform that combines very high-resolution broad area search with site monitoring to provide dynamic tipping and cueing for advanced maritime and Golden Dome type applications. This advanced platform will be powered by the BlackSky Spectra® AI-enabled real-time tasking and analytics platform, which will offer customers a fully integrated set of solutions.
AROS has been under development for the past two years and was one of the key factors in BlackSky's recent acquisition of LeoStella. Mature, vertically integrated manufacturing and production capabilities are providing BlackSky a strategic advantage in the rapid development and deployment of advanced space-based intelligence solutions. Leveraging the heritage of proven and reliable Gen-2 and Gen-3 architectures and manufacturing capabilities, the AROS system will incorporate BlackSky's space, software and platform stack with industry-leading, AI-enabled analytics.
AROS' key features that build upon the Gen-3 design include:
- Very high-resolution, multispectral large areas collectors for mapping, change detection and digital twin applications
- Low-latency delivery via optical inter-satellite links (OISL) for high-bandwidth tasking and downlink
- A new proprietary data pipeline designed to feed real-time and retrospective analytics, model training and AI decision support tools
- Best-in-class cost efficiency that will enable routine wide-area imaging without compromising image quality or revisit rate
This announcement comes on the heels of two successful back-to-back Gen-3 launches when BlackSky demonstrated industry-leading speed and performance by achieving first light in under 24 hours and commissioning in under 60 days. These successes demonstrate the maturity of BlackSky's space platform capabilities that will be leveraged for AROS.
Building on BlackSky's Gen-2 and Gen-3 architectures, the new system will operate as an integrated extension of the company's existing fleet, unlocking an entirely new class of scalable, AI capabilities.
About BlackSky
BlackSky is a real-time, space-based intelligence company that delivers on-demand, high frequency imagery, analytics, and high-frequency monitoring of the most critical and strategic locations, economic assets, and events in the world. BlackSky owns and operates one of the industry's most advanced, purpose-built commercial, real-time intelligence systems that combines the power of the BlackSky Spectra® tasking and analytics software platform and our proprietary low earth orbit satellite constellation.
With BlackSky, customers can see, understand and anticipate changes for a decisive strategic advantage at the tactical edge, and act not just fast, but first. BlackSky is trusted by some of the most demanding U.S. and international government agencies, commercial businesses, and organizations around the world. BlackSky is headquartered in Herndon, VA, and is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange as BKSY. To learn more, visit www.blacksky.com and follow us on X.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to BlackSky. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections, and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this document. If any of these risks materialize or underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect our expectations, plans, or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this communication. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause their assessments to change. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Additional risks and uncertainties are identified and discussed in BlackSky's disclosure materials filed from time to time with the SEC which are available at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov or on BlackSky's Investor Relations website at https://ir.blacksky.com.
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