SXRS-2: We're Taking BlackSky to Space (Again!)

We’re gearing to take our long-time customer BlackSky to space again. This time, we’re managing all launch and mission management for two BlackSky high-resolution, multi-spectral Gen-2 satellites on board a SpaceX Starlink mission lifting off early December. We’ve dubbed it our SXRS-2 mission.

The Falcon 9 launch is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida and will deploy the BlackSky microsats in a mid-inclination Sun Synchronous orbit. As secondary rideshare on the Starlink launch, the BlackSky satellites will be launched prior to the Starlink deployment, to 430 km 53 degrees inclination.

In an effort to help BlackSky rapidly expand its growing constellation of high-revisit satellites in low Earth orbit, Spaceflight has coordinated many launches for BlackSky over the years, including most recently RL-8, a dedicated Rocket Lab Electron launch which successfully took two more BlackSky satellites to orbit November 17, 2021.

BlackSky combines high-resolution images captured by its constellation of microsatellites with its proprietary artificial intelligence software to deliver analytics and insights to industries including transportation, infrastructure, land use, defense, supply chain management, and humanitarian aid.

Marcy Mabry, Spaceflight’s mission director for SXRS-2 added, “Creating a constellation on orbit requires frequent and reliable launches, and that’s what we provide for BlackSky and many other customers. We’re continually working on their behalf to not only find the most appropriate and cost-effective launch that meets their needs, but we’re uniquely positioned to provide the mission planning and integration services because of our years of experience working with the various launch vehicles. In addition, having the flexibility to move to a different launch if delays happen has proven to be a tremendous benefit for these constellation customers.”