Ibadan, 3 March 2023. – Spaceflight Inc. has announced it will launch two BlackSky satellites aboard Rocket Lab’s next mission, “The Beat Goes On,” from Mahia, New Zealand. U.S.-based satellite maker LeoStella manufactured the satellites, which are now in New Zealand for the final stage of integration, with co-engineering from with BlackSky. The two spacecraft onboard the mission will be the 15th and 16th satellites in BlackSky’s growing constellation.
Commenting on the upcoming launch, Tiphaine Louradour, CEO of Spaceflight, expressed his delight to “support another mission with our long-standing customer BlackSky in the development of its rapidly growing constellation.” Louradour also added, “Spaceflight has managed the launch services and missions for all of BlackSky’s satellites to date, and we are glad to continue this partnership to achieve another successful mission.”
Likewise, Tim Kienberger, CEO of LeoStella, added, “rapid access to space is critical for our customers, including BlackSky. It requires efficient smallsat design and production and effective launch services and integration. We greatly value the ongoing collaboration with Spaceflight and Rocket Lab. LeoStella is proud to have manufactured the last 16 satellites in BlackSky’s constellation, securing over 29 years of on-orbit heritage and delivering 99% mission availability.”
Spaceflight and LeoStella offer services and expertise that enable a streamlined, comprehensive, end-to-end support process for BlackSky’s constellation. Everything from the satellite design and manufacturing to integration, mission management, and logistics occurred within a several-mile radius, minimizing the complexities and timeline required to support the mission.
