Rendering of a BlackSky satellite. Photo: BlackSky

BlackSky is expanding into space domain awareness (SDA) with a new contract to support an unnamed customer to deliver non-Earth imaging (NEI). Instead of providing satellite imagery of Earth, BlackSky will collect imagery of on-orbit spacecraft for the customer. 

BlackSky announced the seven-figure contract on Tuesday. As part of the contract BlackSky will integrate Gen-2 satellite imagery of on-orbit spacecraft into the customer’s collection of SDA assets. This data will help the customer maintain space safety and coordinate its space traffic. 

BlackSky said delivering this type of imagery helps leverage underutilized capacity when its satellites are passing over the ocean or satellites in eclipse. This comes after BlackSky signed another seven-figure contract last month for non-Earth imaging with Australian firm HEO. 

“BlackSky’s expansion into SDA unlocks additional value from our current high-resolution Gen-2 constellation and immediately meets our customer’s demand for NEI solutions,” said Brian O’Toole, BlackSky CEO. “Our continued momentum in the NEI space demonstrates technical agility and a strategic commitment to innovation that provides reliable, practical value to space situational awareness operations.”