BlackSky Spectra

BlackSky Spectra® is BlackSky's cloud-based tasking and analytics platform, included with every On-Demand and Assured subscription. Through one web interface and a secure API, users check tasking feasibility and task BlackSky's high-revisit Gen-2 and 35 cm Gen-3 electro-optical constellation (daytime, nighttime, stereo, burst and area imagery, with up to 15 time-diverse collections a day over a location). They can also search the archive and order partner data from a virtual constellation that includes Umbra SAR tasking. Imagery typically arrives about 90 minutes after collection. AI models detect, classify and count vessels, aircraft and vehicles in user-defined areas, chart activity at monitored ports and airfields over time, and flag changes in object location or status. Products are delivered via web, API (STAC catalogue), FTP/SFTP, AWS or Azure in GeoTIFF, NITF, GeoJSON and other formats, and BlackSky tasking has been offered inside Esri ArcGIS Online since 2022. In January 2024, BlackSky's AI change-detection tools, developed under IARPA's SMART programme and folded back into Spectra, were analysing more than 30 million km² a month for U.S. government search programmes. Users range from defence and intelligence analysts to commercial monitoring customers.