Rocket Lab USA, Inc. is launching two satellites for Blacksky from New Zealand, days after the successful launch from Virginia.

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. has announced that it will launch a pair of satellites on a special Electron mission for BlackSky through global launch service provider Spaceflight, Inc. during a launch window beginning March 22, 2023 UTC. Dubbed “The Beat Go On,” the mission will launch two BlackSky Gen-2 Earth Imaging Satellites from Pad B at Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand and put the total number of satellites launched into orbit per Electron. to 159. Electron places the satellites in a 450 km circular orbit, bringing the total number of satellites in the BlackSky constellation to 16.

As a side mission, Rocket Lab plans to recover Electron’s first stage after it parachutes back to Earth and crashes into the ocean. The Rocket Lab rescue team will recover Electron using a modified device and return the scene to the Rocket Lab production complex for analysis. Data from this recovered trap will be used for Rocket Lab’s ongoing recovery and reuse program.

The two high-resolution Gen-2 multi-spectral satellites launched with the Electron will expand BlackSky’s space network and real-time geospatial intelligence and surveillance offerings. BlackSky combines high-resolution images from its constellation of microsatellites with its proprietary artificial intelligence software to provide analysis and insights to sectors such as transportation, infrastructure, land use, defence, supply chain and humanitarian aid.