Rocket Lab Launch Operations Underway For Two BlackSky Missions in November
October 11 2021 - 6:00AM
Business Wire
The launches, Rocket Lab’s 22nd and 23rd
Electron missions, are part of a multi-launch deal that represents
the largest number of satellites BlackSky has committed to a single
launch provider.
Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (“Rocket Lab” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq:
RKLB), a leading launch provider and space systems company, has
today announced it has scheduled two dedicated launches in November
for Spaceflight Inc.’s customer, real-time geospatial and global
monitoring company BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY).
A two-week launch window for Rocket Lab’s 22nd Electron launch
will open November 11-24, 2021, while the 23rd Electron mission is
targeted for lift-off during a two-week launch window that opens
November 27. Both missions are scheduled to launch from Rocket Lab
Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand.
Each mission will deploy two Gen-2 satellites for BlackSky in a
rapid expansion of the geospatial and global monitoring company’s
low Earth orbit constellation. These two dedicated missions are
part of a multi-launch agreement signed between Rocket Lab and
Spaceflight Inc., for BlackSky earlier this year, and precede a
third dedicated mission that will follow to deploy two additional
BlackSky Gen-2 satellites. Together, these launches - along with a
successfully deployed Gen-2 satellite on Rocket Lab’s “They Go Up
So Fast” rideshare mission in March this year - represent the
largest number of satellites BlackSky has committed to a single
launch provider to date.
The back-to-back launch of these two dedicated missions supports
BlackSky’s aggressive scaling of its high-resolution Earth-imaging
constellation to bolster its delivery of analytics and insights to
industries including transportation, infrastructure, land use,
defense, supply chain management, and humanitarian aid.
“The speed to space Electron provides our customers is unmatched
in the dedicated small launch industry, and we’re thrilled to be
delivering a launch service that provides assurance for BlackSky to
scale their constellation and services with confidence,” says
Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck.
Follow Rocket Lab on Twitter @RocketLab for real-time mission
updates closer to launch day.
About Rocket Lab
Founded in 2006, Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company with
an established track record of mission success. We deliver reliable
launch services, spacecraft components, satellites and other
spacecraft and on-orbit management solutions that make it faster,
easier and more affordable to access space. Headquartered in Long
Beach, California, Rocket Lab designs and manufactures the Electron
small orbital launch vehicle and the Photon satellite platform and
is developing the Neutron 8-ton payload class launch vehicle. Since
its first orbital launch in January 2018, Rocket Lab’s Electron
launch vehicle has become the second most frequently launched U.S.
rocket annually and has delivered 105 satellites to orbit for
private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in
national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation,
Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. Rocket
Lab’s Photon spacecraft platform has been selected to support NASA
missions to the Moon and Mars, as well as the first private
commercial mission to Venus. Rocket Lab has three launch pads at
two launch sites, including two launch pads at a private orbital
launch site located in New Zealand, one of which is currently
operational, and a second launch site in Virginia, USA which is
expected to become operational by the end of 2021. To learn more,
visit www.rocketlabusa.com.
About BlackSky Technology Inc.
BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY) is a leading provider of real-time
geospatial intelligence. BlackSky monitors activities and
facilities worldwide by harnessing the world’s emerging sensor
networks and leveraging its own satellite constellation. BlackSky
processes millions of data elements daily from its constellation as
well as a variety of space, IoT, and terrestrial-based sensors and
data feeds. BlackSky’s on-demand constellation of satellites can
image a location multiple times throughout the day. BlackSky
monitors for pattern-of-life anomalies to produce alerts and
enhance situational awareness. BlackSky’s monitoring service,
Spectra AI, is powered by cutting-edge compute techniques including
machine learning, artificial intelligence, computer vision, and
natural language processing. BlackSky’s global monitoring solution
is available via a simple subscription and requires no IT
infrastructure or setup. For more information visit
www.blacksky.com.
About Spaceflight Inc.
As the premier global launch services provider, Spaceflight is
revolutionizing the business of space transportation through its
comprehensive suite of launch services and Sherpa® orbital transfer
vehicles. The company provides unprecedented launch flexibility to
ensure customers’ smallsats get to orbit exactly when and where
they want through a combination of long-standing relationships with
a diverse portfolio of launch partners, innovative satellite
integration capabilities, including flight and ground support
hardware, licensing and logistics management, and extensive mission
management expertise. Based in Seattle, Spaceflight has
successfully launched hundreds of satellites and is a part of the
Mitsui & Co., Ltd. portfolio, operating as an independent,
U.S.-based company. For more information, visit
http://www.spaceflight.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of
1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements, including
without limitation expectations regarding the timing of scheduled
launches, are based on Rocket Lab’s current expectations and
beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects.
These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks,
uncertainties (many of which are beyond Rocket Lab’s control), or
other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to
be materially different from those expressed or implied by these
forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause actual future
events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in
this press release, including risks related to the global COVID-19
pandemic, including risks related to government restrictions and
lock-downs in New Zealand and other countries in which we operate
that could delay or suspend our operations; delays and disruptions
in expansion efforts; our dependence on a limited number of
customers; the harsh and unpredictable environment of space in
which our products operate which could adversely affect our launch
vehicle and spacecraft; increased congestion from the proliferation
of low Earth orbit constellations which could materially increase
the risk of potential collision with space debris or another
spacecraft and limit or impair our launch flexibility and/or access
to our own orbital slots; increased competition in our industry due
in part to rapid technological development and decreasing costs;
technological change in our industry which we may not be able to
keep up with or which may render our services uncompetitive;
average selling price trends; failure of our satellites to operate
as intended either due to our error in design in production or
through no fault of our own; launch schedule disruptions; supply
chain disruptions, product delays or failures; design and
engineering flaws; launch failures; natural disasters and epidemics
or pandemics; changes in governmental regulations including with
respect to trade and export restrictions, or in the status of our
regulatory approvals or applications; or other events that force us
to cancel or reschedule launches, including customer contractual
rescheduling and termination rights, and the other risks detailed
from time to time in Rocket Lab’s filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere
(including that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may also
exacerbate the risks discussed therein). There can be no assurance
that the future developments affecting Rocket Lab will be those
that we have anticipated. Except as required by law, Rocket Lab is
not undertaking any obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211011005163/en/
+ Rocket Lab Media Contact Murielle Baker media@rocketlabusa.com
+64 27 538 9040
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