BlackSky Satellite

BlackSky satellite is muscling into the smallsat game with 83-cm to 1.3-m resolution imagery and an ever-expanding constellation.

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Sample Imagery | Advantages | Overview, Specs and Pricing

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BlackSky Satellite Imagery Samples

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BlackSky Global Series 89-cm Natural Color – Santiago, Chile; January 14, 2021
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BlackSky Global Series 89-cm Natural Color – Santiago, Chile; January 14, 2021
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BlackSky Global Series 94-cm Natural Color – Brisbane, Australia; January 14, 2021
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BlackSky Global Series 94-cm Natural Color – Brisbane, Australia; January 14, 2021
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BlackSky Global Series 85-cm Natural Color – Orapa Diamond Mine, Botswana; January 14, 2021
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BlackSky Global Series 87-cm Natural Color – Boddington Gold Mine, Australia; January 14, 2021

Click on the expand button for a larger view of each image. You can also right-click and save any of the examples to your computer for a full resolution view.

The BlackSky Advantage

Global Monitoring
BlackSky’s constellation of satellites offers multiple collections per day for monitoring applications.

High-Resolution SmallSats
With 83-cm to 1.3-m resolution and competitive pricing, no smallsat is doing it better.

Growing Collection Capability
BlackSky is regularly manufacturing their Global smallsats, expanding available collection capability beyond competitors.
Overview & HistoryBlackSky SpecificationsPricing

BlackSky, based in Seattle, Washington, launched its first commercial smallsat in the Global series on November 29, 2018 and has since continued with regular launches – improving their technology with nearly every one. At 44 kilograms (kg), the satellites are small, fast to manufacture, and use an innovative water-based propulsion system. The first Global satellites were placed into orbit at 450 to 580 kilometers (km), giving them a three-year lifespan and about 1-meter resolution. As their orbits lower, they’ll increase in resolution. Subsequent launches of Global smallsats were placed at a lower altitude to start, allowing them to collect 83-centimer (cm) resolution.

The BlackSky Global constellation offers multiple collections per day at high resolution, making it an ideal solution for global monitoring in time-sensitive situations.

Launch Details
  • Launch Date:
    • Global 1 – November 29, 2018, 03:42 UTC
    • Global 2 – December 3, 2018, 18:34 UTC
    • Global 3 – June 29, 2019, 04:30 UTC
    • Global 4 – August 19, 2019, 12:12 UTC
    • Global 7/8 – August 7, 2020, 05:12 UTC
    • Global 9 – March 22, 2021, 22:30 UTC
    • Subsequent Launches – November 17, 2021, 2 Global Generation 2; December 2, 2021, 2 Global Gen. 2; December 8, 2021, 2 Global Gen. 2; April 2, 2022, 2 Global Gen. 2; March 24, 2023, 09:14 UTC, 2 Global Gen. 2
  • Vehicle:
    • Global 1 – PSLV-C35
    • Global 2 – SpaceX Falcon-9
    • Global 3 – Rocket Lab Electron
    • Global 4 – Rocket Lab Electron
    • Global 7/8 – SpaceX Falcon-9
    • Global 9 – Rocket Lab Electron
    • Subsequent Launches – Rocket Lab Electron
  • Site:
    • Global 1 – Satish Dhawan Space Center, ISRO, India
    • Global 2 – SpaceX Falcon-9, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA
    • Global 3 – Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
    • Global 4 – Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
    • Global 7/8 – LC-39A, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA
    • Global 9 – Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
    • Subsequent Launches – November 17, 2021, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand; December 2, 2021, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, FL, USA; December 8, 2021 and April 2, 2022, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

BlackSky Global Components
  • Satellite Weight: 44 kg
  • Control Systems: electro-thermal propulsion system
  • Optical Sensor Assembly: CCD camera with color filter array

Orbit Characteristics
  • Average Altitude:
    • Global 1 – 480 km
    • Global 2 – 580 km
    • Global 3 – 450 km
    • Global 4 – 530 km
    • Global 7/8 – 410 km
    • Global 9 – 450 km
    • Subsequent Global Generation 2 Satellites – 410 km
  • Period: 92 to 94 minutes
  • Inclination
    • Global 1 – 97.5°
    • Global 2 – 97.7°
    • Global 3 – 45°
    • Global 4 – 45°
    • Global 7/8 – 53°
    • Global 9 – 45°
    • Subsequent Global Generation 2 Satellites – 53°
  • Direction: Global 1/2, sun-synchronous orbit; rest of Global constellation, inclined orbit
  • Equatorial Crossing Time (approximate; across lit side of Earth; sun-synchronous orbits only):
    • Global 1 – 10:26 AM local time
    • Global 2 – 10:19 AM local time
  • Revisit Frequency: multiple intra-day collections as possible

Imaging System
  • Spectral Bands:
    • Panchromatic
    • 3-band multispectral (blue, green and red)
  • Sensor Resolution: (at nadir)
    • Global 1 – 1-m
    • Global 2 – 1.3-m
    • Global 3 – 97-cm
    • Global 4 – 1.1-m
    • Global 7/8 – 83-cm
    • Global 9 – 94-cm
    • Subsequent Global Generation 2 Satellites – 83-cm
  • Spectral Band Wavelength Range: (in nm)
    • Panchromatic – 450 to 700
    • Blue – 450 to 520
    • Green – 500 to 590
    • Red – 590 to 700
  • Dynamic Range: 12-bits

Collection Capabilities
  • Image Footprint:
    • Global 1 – 40 km² (4.0-km x 6.0-km at minimum)
    • Global 2 – 59 km² (4.9-km x 7.3-km at minimum)
    • Global 3 – 26 km²
    • Global 4 – 46 km² (4.6-km x 6.8-km at minimum)
    • Global 7/8 – 26 km² (3.8-km x 5.6-km at minimum)
    • Global 9 – 33 km² (4.1-km x 6.2-km at minimum)
    • Subsequent Global Generation 2 Satellites – 26 km² (3.8-km x 5.6-km at minimum)
  • Daily Collection Capacity: 3 images per minute per satellite (depends on competition, order priority and regional importance)
  • Georeferenced Horizontal Accuracy: 10 – 20 m CE90 (depends on terrain and nadir pointing)

Below is the least expensive BlackSky Global data offered. Prices increase for new collections and data processing. Note that volume discounts are available.

  • Data Source: archive (greater than 10 days old)
  • Minimum Order Size: available upon request
  • Product Type: raw 16-bit pan + 3-band MS
  • Price Per Image: available upon request (more detailed pricing can be found here)

For an exact quote, please contact our Sales Team at sales@apollomapping.com.