Satellite footprints

BlackSky LEO satellite constellation

Position:LEO
Manufacturer:LeoStella
Operator:BlackSky
Launch operators:Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
 Rocket Lab
 SpaceX
Launch vehicles:Electron
 Falcon 9
 PSLV
Launch date:
Expected lifetime:3 Years

BlackSky is a leading provider of real-time geospatial intelligence and monitors activities and facilities worldwide by harnessing the world’s emerging sensor networks and leveraging its own satellite constellation. The company plans a 60-satellite constellation, which would offer 1m resolution and rapid satellite revisit rates. 

The satellite constellation is currently being built by SmallSat manufacturer LeoStella, LLC, a joint venture between Spaceflight Industries and Thales Alenia Space. The BlackSky Pathfinder-1 micro-satellite was an Earth imaging satellite that was built by LeoStella as a demonstration satellite for BlackSky Global. Pathfinder-1 was equipped with payloads from Harris Corp. designed to image an area of approx. 4.4 by 6.6km (2.7 by 4.1mile). The satellite was launched on 26 September 2016 on a PSLV launch vehicle operated by ISRO from India.

The spacecraft of the constellation will be launched into orbits of about 450 km to achieve high-resolution imagery of 1m GSD (Ground Sample Distance). The microsatellites have a mass of about 44kgs and they will be equipped with a propulsion system to stay in orbit for about 3 years.

The first launch of BlackSky’s Gen-2 satellites started in 2018 by launching Global-1 and Global-2 with the SSO-A mission on a Falcon 9 rocket operated by SpaceX, using the SHERPA satellite dispenser.

Various launches were executed in the following months and years by reputed launch operators orbiting BlackSky’s satellites:

Satellite Mission Launch Date Launcher Launch Operator
Pathfinder-1 SCATSAT-1 26-Sept-16 PSLV    ISRO India
Pathfinder-2 not launched      
Global-1 SSO-A 02-Dec-18 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Global-2 SSO-A 02-Dec-18 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Global-3 Make-it-Rain 29-June-19 Electron Rocket Lab NZ
Global-4 Look-Ma, No-Hands 19-Aug-19 Electron Rocket Lab NZ
Global-5 Starlink-10 rideshare 07-Aug-20 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Global-6 Starlink-10 rideshare 07-Aug-20 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Global-7 They-Go-Up-So-Fast  23-Mar-21 Photon Rocket Lab NZ
Global-8 failed 15-May-21 Electron Rocket Lab NZ
Global-9 failed 15-May-21 Electron Rocket Lab NZ
Global-10 Love-at-First-Insight 18-Nov-21 Electron Rocket Lab NZ
Global-11 Love-at-First-Insight 18-Nov-21 Electron  Rocket Lab NZ
Global-12 Starlink Group 4-3 03-Dec-21 Falcon 9  SpaceX USA
Global-13 Starlink Group 4-3 03-Dec-21 Falcon 9 SpaceX USA
Global-14 A-Data-With-Destiny 09-Dec-21 Electron Rocket Lab NZ
Global-15 A-Data-With-Destiny 09-Dec-21 Electron Rocket Lab NZ
Global-16 Without-Mission-A-Beat 02-Apr-22 Electron Rocket Lab NZ
Global-17 Without-Mission-A-Beat 02-Apr-22 Electron Rocket Lab NZ

BlackSky LEO satellite constellation

BlackSky satellite constellation
BlackSky satellites in orbit
BlackSky satellites in orbit
BlackSky satellite prepared for launch
BlackSky Earth Monitoring images Port-Elizabeth
BlackSky Earth Imaging
SpaceX launching Starlink and BlackSky satellites
Rocket-Lab launching BlackSky satellites