BlackBridge satellites. Photo: SSTL

[Via Satellite 07-15-2015] Planet Labs has entered a definitive agreement to purchase the BlackBridge geospatial companies, including the RapidEye suite of core offerings. Through the acquisition, Planet Labs will have access to more than 100 distribution channels and customers globally, as well as RapidEye’s six year-archive of global imagery, comprised of 6 billion square kilometers at 5-meter resolution.

BlackBridge will continue to operate the RapidEye fleet of satellites. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2015, subject to customary closing conditions. The acquisition will further BlackBridge’s offerings in agriculture, energy and infrastructure, consumer mapping, government, business intelligence, and environmental and social impact, and open doors to new markets.

“The combination of BlackBridge’s downstream knowledge and global reach, with Planet Labs’ strategy for agile aerospace, will create a long-term competitive advantage for the combined company. We expect the industry to become far more competitive over the next number of years with traditional players implementing new strategies and new competitors entering. The ability to continue to lead and adapt quickly to changing needs will be the key to continued success,” said Ryan Johnson, CEO of BlackBridge.