{"id":18478,"date":"2018-06-11T19:59:37","date_gmt":"2018-06-11T11:59:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/spaceflight-strikes-deal-with-rocket-lab-for-three-satellite-launch-extravaganzas\/"},"modified":"2018-06-11T19:59:37","modified_gmt":"2018-06-11T11:59:37","slug":"spaceflight-strikes-deal-with-rocket-lab-for-three-satellite-launch-extravaganzas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/spaceflight-strikes-deal-with-rocket-lab-for-three-satellite-launch-extravaganzas\/","title":{"rendered":"Spaceflight strikes deal with Rocket Lab for three satellite launch extravaganzas"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Rocket
Rocket Lab\u2019s Electron rocket lifts off from its New Zealand launch pad in January. (Rocket Lab Photo via Spaceflight)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Seattle-based Spaceflight has partnered with Rocket Lab for three launches over the next year, including one of the first launches for BlackSky\u2019s Earth observation constellation.<\/p>\n

All three launches will send an assortment of small satellites into low Earth orbit from Rocket Lab\u2019s facility on New Zealand\u2019s Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand.<\/p>\n

One of BlackSky\u2019s Global satellites and several other rideshare payloads are due to go up on the first flight, set for the end of 2018.<\/p>\n

BlackSky is a subsidiary of Seattle\u2019s Spaceflight Industries, which is also Spaceflight\u2019s parent company. A prototype for the Global constellation, known as BlackSky Pathfinder, was launched on an Indian PSLV rocket in 2016 to demonstrate BlackSky\u2019s Earth-imaging technology.<\/p>\n

Four Global satellites are due to be launched over the next year with support from the Space Alliance, Spaceflight\u2019s European partner. In addition to Rocket Labs\u2019 low-cost Electron rocket, BlackSky\u2019s satellites are set to go up on PSLV rockets and SpaceX\u2019s Falcon 9 rocket.<\/p>\n

As the constellation grows to its target size of 60 satellites, BlackSky will offer fast-turnaround Earth imagery and other geospatial data.<\/p>\n

The second launch in the package deal announced today is to send satellites from commercial and government organizations into low Earth orbit in early 2019, Spaceflight and Rocket Lab said.<\/p>\n

The third mission, also set for early 2019, will launch two satellites for Canon Electronics \u2014 following up on last year\u2019s launch of CE-SAT-I, Canon\u2019s experimental Earth-observing microsatellite.<\/p>\n

\"CE-SAT-I\"
Canon Electronics had its CE-SAT-I satellite put into orbit in 2017. (Canon \/ Spaceflight Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In today\u2019s news release, Canon Electronics said the launch will be \u201cvery critical\u201d for the company, in part because all of the satellite components were manufactured in-house.<\/p>\n

\u201cCE-SAT-I Mark II is our first mass-production model, and CE-SAT-II is a model equipped with two cameras with different resolutions,\u201d Nobutada Sako, group executive for Canon Electronics\u2019 Satellite Systems Lab, said in the release. \u201cJust as Canon provides world premium technologies, sales, and services, we believe Spaceflight<\/span> and Rocket Lab offer the same premium services to their clients and look forward to a long-term partnership with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rocket Lab said the Canon launch is addressed in a letter of agreement with Spaceflight that \u201cis expected to be finalized in the next few weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spaceflight is selling the launch capacity that it\u2019s procured with Rocket Lab, and will provide mission campaign integration services for its satellite customers. Rocket Lab will assist with integrating the satellites with the launch vehicle \u2014 and then provide the launch services required to get the payloads into orbit, using Electron rockets.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdding the Electron to our portfolio of small launch vehicles fulfills a need for customers to access space<\/span> with shorter lead times,\u201d Melissa Wuerl, Spaceflight<\/span>\u2019s vice president of business development, said in a statement. \u201cIn addition to providing rideshare services on other organizations\u2019 missions, we are pleased to offer first-class integration services and dedicated launches for our customers on the Electron rocket.\u201d<\/u><\/u><\/p>\n

<\/u>Rocket Lab executed its first fully successful orbital launch of the two-stage Electron rocket in January, and is planning another satellite rideshare mission (dubbed \u201cIt\u2019s Business Time\u201d) within a month.<\/u><\/p>\n

\u201cRapid and repeatable access to space<\/span> is crucial for the development of vital infrastructure on orbit,\u201d Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck said today. \u201cIn partnering with Spaceflight<\/span>, Rocket Lab delivers streamlined launches and enables innovative missions like those of Canon Electronics and BlackSky.\u201d<\/p>\n

Los Angeles-based Rocket Lab\u2019s other customers range from NASA to Moon Express.<\/p>\n