Rocket Lab is set to launch a satellite from the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand for a US company aiming to boost its military operations. The launch will be part of BlackSky’s Gen-3 satellites, which are designed to provide real-time access to imagery during time-sensitive military operations worldwide.
The move comes after Rocket Lab won a multi-million dollar contract with the Pentagon last year to develop hypersonic weapons. The company has also completed a design review for 18 military satellites worth over $800 million.
BlackSky’s Gen-3 satellites will feature laser optic links that aim to increase image volume by five times and sharing speed by 10 times, making them more effective in haze and at night. The new satellites are part of a constellation designed for Earth observation, which also has civilian uses such as mapping natural disasters.
The launch is set to take place sometime from Tuesday and will be the first of several Gen-3s for BlackSky, which has used the Mahia site since 2019. Rocket Lab’s share price in the US has surged since it won big Pentagon contracts, with the company committed to delivering world-class satellite solutions for national defence.
The development follows a series of high-profile launches by other space companies, including SpaceX and Rocket Lab itself, which have secured lucrative contracts with the Pentagon.
Source: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/542305/rocket-lab-ready-to-serve-pentagon