BlackSky announced plans on Thursday to expand its network to include satellites that can provide high-resolution and nighttime images for the U.S. military.

BlackSky, already a major provider of global monitoring services, geospatial intelligence and satellite imagery for the Pentagon, said its Gen-3 satellite architecture will be able to produce images with 50-centimeter resolution and enhanced spectral diversity.

The upgrades will allow it to provide real-time insights to customers that include the Department of Defense as part of a contract awarded to the company in January.

The first Gen-3 satellites are set to launch and become operational in 2022, the company said.

The company also said it has conducted the preliminary design review of Gen-3 satellite design review for the U.S. Army Tactical GEOINT program as part of a multi-year contract with the Defense Innovation Unit.

The Gen-3 satellites will allow the DoD to support concurrent war games, exercises and combat training center events and help assess technological readiness, and the TACGEO project is expected to accelerate the military's ability to improve tactics, techniques and procedures and inform future operational systems.

Under the latter project, military users will be able to task a Gen-3 satellite, according to O'Toole. BlackSky will "help them operate it," company CEO Brian O'Toole told SpaceNews, providing analytics services using artificial intelligence and machine learning.

In July, the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Air Force research lab awarded BlackSky a contract to monitor COVID-19 mitigation efforts that involve U.S. military bases and supply chains, using its AI and machine-learning platforms to monitor overseas U.S. military bases and help maintain secure supply chains.

Related Links
Military Space News at SpaceWar.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Veritone awarded subcontracts under US Air Force program to enhance satellite imagery analysis
Costa Mesa CA (SPX) Sep 18, 2020
Veritone, Inc., the creator of the world's first operating system for artificial intelligence, aiWARE, has announced that it has been awarded key subcontracts under a U.S. Air Force project that will use Veritone's aiWARE artificial intelligence (AI) operating system to increase the speed and accuracy of overhead imagery analysis. AFWERX, the Air Force's innovation unit, awarded a Phase II contract under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to prime contractor alYnmnt. Veritone ha ... read more