Spaceflight Industries raises $150m to develop BlackSky constellation

Spaceflight Industries has raised $150m through an investment round to fund the further development of its BlackSky Earth imaging satellite constellation.

Part of the fund was received in the form of the acquisition of a minority stake in Spaceflight Industries by Space Alliance, a partnership of Telespazio and Thales Alenia Space.

Japanese general trading company Mitsui and existing Spaceflight Industries investors took part in the funding round.

The latest funding has enabled Spaceflight Industries to raise more than $200m in total capital. This has helped to ensure the production and launch of 20 additional Global smallsats that are planned to be in orbit by 2020.

The satellite constellation and other space and terrestrial-based sensors are expected to provide innovative global monitoring solutions and geospatial activity-based intelligence products and services.

Spaceflight Industries geospatial intelligence company BlackSky expects to launch the first four of 60 Global next-generation satellites over the next 12 months.

Thales Alenia Space president and CEO Jean Loïc Galle said: “This partnership reflects the ‘new space’ transformation strategy being implemented by Thales Alenia Space, with the aim of becoming a major manufacturer of small satellites for constellations, featuring short revisit times, both in Europe and the US.”

In addition, the company has partnered with Spaceflight Industries to create a US-based industrial joint venture (JV) to manufacture cost-effective, high-performance small satellites, including the 20 satellites for the BlackSky constellation.

The 50/50 JV is named LeoStella and is scheduled to begin operation this year.

LeoStella’s executive team includes representatives from both Spaceflight Industries and Thales Alenia Space, and other space organisations.