{"id":9913,"date":"2025-02-18T20:00:46","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T12:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/rocket-lab-launches-blacksky-gen-3-satellite-on-60th-electron-flight\/"},"modified":"2025-02-18T20:00:46","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T12:00:46","slug":"rocket-lab-launches-blacksky-gen-3-satellite-on-60th-electron-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/rocket-lab-launches-blacksky-gen-3-satellite-on-60th-electron-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"Rocket Lab launches BlackSky Gen-3 satellite on 60th Electron flight"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_68759\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-68759\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-68759\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250218_BlackSky_Gen-3_prelaunch.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"477\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250218_BlackSky_Gen-3_prelaunch.jpeg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250218_BlackSky_Gen-3_prelaunch-300x163.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250218_BlackSky_Gen-3_prelaunch-678x369.jpeg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250218_BlackSky_Gen-3_prelaunch-768x418.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-68759\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rocket Lab\u2019s Electron rocket stands at Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, ahead of the launch of BlackSky\u2019s first Gen-3 satellite. Image: Rocket Lab<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em><strong>Update 7:16 p.m. EST (0016 UTC): Rocket Lab confirms a successful payload deployment.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Rocket Lab (Nasdaq: RKLB) completed its second Electron rocket of the month and its 60th to date. The flight carried with it the first of BlackSky\u2019s Gen-3 Earth imaging and analytics gathering satellites.<\/p>\n<p>Liftoff of the mission, dubbed \u2018Fasten Your Space Belts,\u2019 from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand happened at 12:17 p.m. NZDT on Feb. 19 (6:17 p.m. EST, 2317 UCT on Feb. 18).<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pv_Zw8UK3H0?si=Ps3_GFT9wZENqmak\" width=\"678\" height=\"381\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>\u201cElectron is a trusted and reliable constellation builder for companies like BlackSky, allowing them to be in control of how, when, and where to deploy their constellation,\u201d said Sir Peter Beck, Rocket Lab\u2019s founder and CEO, in a statement. \u201cBlackSky is one of our earliest and longest-standing commercial satellite customers, and it\u2019s great to be heading back to the pad with them once again to continue to advance and expand their constellation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With this mission, Rocket Lab has launched a total number of satellites launched to 210. To support the Gen-3 satellite, it will use its Motorized Lightband separation system.<\/p>\n<p>Rocket Lab did attempt to recover its Electron booster with this mission.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1892005158030278881&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceflightnow.com%2F2025%2F02%2F18%2Frocket-lab-to-launch-blacksky-gen-3-satellite-on-60th-electron-flight%2F&amp;sessionId=5e3248a5d22875847d438fc1be617aea1f4df941&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1892005158030278881\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782462353652910997=\"true\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">PAYLOAD DEPLOYMENT CONFIRMED! That\u2019s mission success for Electron\u2019s 60th launch <img decoding=\"async\" draggable=\"false\" role=\"img\" class=\"emoji\" alt=\"\ud83d\ude80\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/svg\/1f680.svg\"> Welcome to space, @blacksky_inc pic.twitter.com\/XPgwXCGuTG<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Rocket Lab (@RocketLab) February 19, 2025<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h4>Expanding the constellation<\/h4>\n<p>BlackSky (NYSE: BKSY), one of Rocket Lab\u2019s oldest customers, sent its first Gen-3 satellite into low Earth orbit less than two years after completing its Gen-2 constellation of satellites. This latest mission was the ninth time Rocket Lab launches a payload for BlackSky going back to 2019.<\/p>\n<p>To date, there have been more than than a dozen launches supporting the Gen-2 satellites between Rocket Lab, SpaceX and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>BlackSky Pathfinder 1 (Sep. 2016) \u2013 PSLV-G<\/li>\n<li>Global-1 (Nov. 2018) \u2013 PSLV-CA<\/li>\n<li>SSO-A rideshare (Dec. 2018) \u2013 Global-2<\/li>\n<li>\u2018Make it Rain\u2019 (Jun. 2019) \u2013 Global-3<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li>\u2018Look Ma, No Hands\u2019 (Aug. 2019) \u2013 Global-4<\/li>\n<li>Starlink 8-6 rideshare (Aug. 2020) \u2013 Global-7 &amp; Global-8<\/li>\n<li>\u2018They Go Up So Fast\u2019 (Mar. 2021) \u2013 Global-9 \/ BlackSky-7<\/li>\n<li>\u2018Running Out of Toes\u2019 (May 2021) \u2013 Global-10 &amp; Global-11 (launch mishap)<\/li>\n<li>\u2018Love at First Insight\u2019 (Nov. 2021) \u2013 Global-14 &amp; Global-15<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Starlink 4-3 rideshare (Dec. 2021) \u2013 Global-12 &amp; Global-13<\/li>\n<li>\u2018A Data with Destiny\u2019 (Dec. 2021) \u2013 Global-16 &amp; Global-17<\/li>\n<li>\u2018Without Mission a Beat\u2019 (Apr. 2022) \u2013 Global 18 &amp; Global-20<\/li>\n<li>\u2018The Beat Goes On\u2019 (Apr. 2023) \u2013 Global 19 &amp; Global 5<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In its 2024 Q3 earnings report, BlackSky said it acquired a partner stake in Seattle-based satellite manufacturing company LeoStella in a joint venture with Tales Alenia Space U.S. Investment LLC. That deal was completed in Nov. 2024, according to a 10-Q filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe expect that this acquisition will allow [BlackSky] to improve its control over the Gen-3 supply chain and production operations,\u201d BlackSky wrote.<\/p>\n<p>In its latest earnings report, BlackSky CEO Brian O\u2019Toole said the company raised more than $45 million in order to \u201cfully fund our baseline Gen-3 constellation plan.\u201d He added that following the first launch of a Gen-3 satellite, BlackSky expects to begin \u201ca regular deployment cadence of Gen-3 satellites in 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Spaceflight Now reached out to BlackSky for clarification on what it anticipates that cadence to be, but has not yet heard back.<\/p>\n<p>The Gen-3 satellite is a 35 cm high-resolution intelligence gathering satellite. A little more than 55 minutes after liftoff, it will deploy into a 470 km circular Earth orbit at a 59 degree inclination.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_68760\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-68760\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-68760\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250218_BlackSky_Ships_First_Gen_3_small.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"584\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250218_BlackSky_Ships_First_Gen_3_small.jpeg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250218_BlackSky_Ships_First_Gen_3_small-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250218_BlackSky_Ships_First_Gen_3_small-678x452.jpeg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/20250218_BlackSky_Ships_First_Gen_3_small-768x512.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-68760\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Space-based intelligence company BlackSky prepares its first Gen-3 satellite for launch at its manufacturing facility in Tukwila, Wash. The Gen-3 constellation will offer customers new mission critical insights with the addition of very high-resolution, rapid-revisit 35-centimeter imagery and AI-enabled analytics delivered at industry-leading speed and scale. Image: Business Wire)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rocket Lab\u2019s Electron rocket stands at Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, ahead of the launch of BlackSky\u2019s first Gen-3 satellite. Image: Rocket Lab Update 7:16 p.m. EST (0016 UTC): Rocket Lab confirms a successful payload deployment. Rocket Lab (Nasdaq: RKLB) completed its second Electron rocket of the month and its 60th to date. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[404,545,1093,544],"class_list":["post-9913","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-blacksky","tag-electron","tag-gen-3","tag-rocket-lab"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9913"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9913"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9913\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9913"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9913"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9913"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}