Deal Reached on Seven-Figure Gen-2 Space Domain Awareness Expansion
BlackSky and HEO Automate Entire Tasking-to-Delivery Process
A seven-figure Gen-2 space domain awareness expansion contract has been reached between BlackSky and non-Earth imaging company HEO to provide fully-automated low-latency non-Earth imaging (NEI) services for defense, intelligence and commercial use. The imagery data services deal is now moving into its fourth phase after completing the automation of the entire tasking-to-delivery process.
"As on-orbit activities continue to increase, global monitoring efforts are expanding beyond terrestrial intelligence to include space intelligence."
Brian O’Toole, BlackSky
As part of the contract, HEO’s software platform will autonomously identify imaging opportunities and task BlackSky’s high-resolution Gen-2 satellites to detect, track, characterize, and classify objects in orbit, as well as assess potential threats and predict their effects. BlackSky's high-cadence imaging satellites fly in mid-inclination orbit and are expected to increase the feasibility of capturing NEI data over the middle latitudes of Earth, at certain times and places. The rapid tasking and delivery of NEI are expected to support critical space domain awareness applications, including constellation monitoring and anomaly detection.
“BlackSky’s high-resolution Gen-2 high-cadence monitoring constellation continues to contribute valuable insight for space domain awareness,” said Brian O’Toole, BlackSky CEO. “As on-orbit activities continue to increase, global monitoring efforts are expanding beyond terrestrial intelligence to include space intelligence. Automatically tasking and receiving NEI products reflects yet another pioneering innovation that gives customers reliable and actionable insight about spacecraft or on-orbit objects of interest at mission speed.”
HEO added BlackSky’s constellation into its current NEI sensor network in 2024. Customers can now request NEI products through HEO’s automated tasking and delivery platform, HEO Inspect. Once collected, BlackSky Gen-2 NEI and metadata are transferred into HEO Inspect where object detection and identification algorithms generate advanced analytics reports that include information such as a satellite’s attitude and location, subsystems identification and pattern-of-life analyses.
“BlackSky has the ability to leverage remaining capacity typically associated with satellites passing over the ocean or satellites in eclipse, traveling across the dark side of Earth. Customers can now use that excess capacity, with a high-quality user experience, to monitor objects in space with no humans in the loop,” O’Toole said.
"Achieving true space awareness is going to require levels of inspection platforms across orbits, ready to capture imagery at a moment’s notice and HEO is building exactly that," said Dr. Will Crowe, Co-Founder and CEO of HEO. "BlackSky’s high-resolution satellites and automated capacity give us eyes in mid-inclination orbit, turning downtime into an intelligence goldmine for operators who need to know what’s happening around their assets, when it happens.”
Our Take
This development represents a significant step in commercializing advanced space monitoring technologies. The full automation of the tasking-to-delivery pipeline eliminates human intervention, enabling "mission-speed" responses. This turns satellite downtime into productive intelligence gathering, potentially increasing data capture feasibility in mid-inclination orbits.
Automated NEI also aids in monitoring orbital debris and ensuring safe operations, contributing to long-term space sustainability. By providing detailed imagery of objects, it supports initiatives like debris removal and collision avoidance, addressing the growing challenge of crowded orbits.