Update: BlackSky to provide its Gen-3 satellite services to Indonesian MoD

A satellite imagery supplied by BlackSky to the Indonesian MoD. Through BlackSky's subscription-based services, the Indonesian MoD is guaranteed access and first-priority tasking capacity over their national and regional areas of interest. (BlackSky)

Virginia-based BlackSky Technology Inc has secured a contract to provide the services of its Gen-3 Earth observation satellites to the Indonesian Ministry of Defense (MoD).

Under the contract, BlackSky will also provide “ground station capabilities and flight operations support” to the MoD, the company said on 8 February. BlackSky is also providing “subscription-based real-time satellite imagery and analytics services to support the Indonesian MoD”, under a separate contract announced in January.

“These multi-year contracts have a combined value of approximately USD50 million,” BlackSky said.

BlackSky's CEO Brian E O'Toole said, “Indonesia's first sovereign satellites will share the same advanced capabilities as BlackSky's future Gen-3 commercial constellation.” A spokesperson for BlackSky told Janes on 7 February that the “Gen-3 class satellites are capable of 35 cm electro-optical imagery and will have advanced communications capabilities that help reduce tasking-to-delivery speeds”.

Indonesia's sovereign satellites will be developed by Bandung-based state-owned defence electronics firm PT Len Industri in partnership with Thales Alenia Space. In December 2023 Thales Alenia Space announced that it has signed a contract with PT Len Industri to develop an Earth observation satellite constellation for the MoD.

A spokesperson for Thales Alenia Space told Janes in December 2023 that the space and ground segment of the Indonesian constellation will be fully deployed in 36 months, once the contract between Thales Alenia Space and PT Len Industri enters into force.