Press release

Spaceflight’s First Rideshare Mission Aboard a Rocket Lab Electron Readies for Launch

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Spaceflight,
the leading satellite rideshare and mission management provider, today
announced it will launch seven spacecraft from five organizations later
this month on Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 at the
southern tip of Mahia Peninsula, on the east coast of New Zealand’s
North Island. This mission, also called “Make It Rain” by Rocket Lab as
a nod to the weather in both Seattle and New Zealand, represents
Spaceflight’s first of five launches scheduled with Rocket Lab this year.

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Spaceflight’s First Rideshare Mission Aboard a Rocket Lab Electron Readies for Launch (Photo: Busine ...

Spaceflight’s First Rideshare Mission Aboard a Rocket Lab Electron Readies for Launch (Photo: Business Wire)

“We’re looking forward to not only our inaugural flight with Rocket Lab,
but a long-term partnership to increase access to space via frequent
launches,” said Curt Blake, CEO of Spaceflight. “Having the Electron in
our arsenal of small launch vehicles provides our customers with a
low-cost, flexible option to get on orbit.”

Satellites on the mission include BlackSky’s Global-3, two U.S. Special
Operations Command (USSOCOM) Prometheus, Melbourne Space Program’s
ACRUX-1, two Swarm SpaceBEEs, and an undisclosed customer. Spaceflight
managed the procurement, integration, and mission management services
for all the customers manifested on the Electron. The cubesats were
processed and integrated in Spaceflight’s Auburn, Wash.-based facility
while BlackSky shipped its microsat directly to the Rocket Lab facility
in New Zealand for its final integration by the Spaceflight team.

“After launching our first two Earth observation satellites to
sun-synchronous orbit in 2018, we’re excited to get Global-3 up in a
mid-inclination orbit to further deliver on the rapid revisit rate
necessary to monitor locations of interest around the world,” said Brian
O’Toole, CEO of BlackSky. “As we continue our constellation expansion,
it will be critical to leverage the frequent launch cadence Spaceflight
offers through Rocket Lab and others, and we’re excited to be on this
inaugural mission.”

This mission marks Spaceflight’s third launch of 2019. It follows the
successful launch and deployment of 21 spacecraft aboard PSLV C45 in
March 2019 as well as the GTO-1 mission, launching the first commercial
lunar lander in February aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. Additionally, in
December 2018, Spaceflight executed the company’s historic dedicated
rideshare mission, SSO-A, which launched 64 unique smallsats. To date,
the company has negotiated the launch of more than 260 satellites and
has plans for approximately 10 more missions in 2019 launching nearly
100 payloads across a wide variety of launch vehicles, including the
Falcon 9, Antares, Electron, Vega, Vector, PSLV, and LauncherOne.

About Spaceflight

Spaceflight is revolutionizing the business of spaceflight by delivering
a new model for accessing space. A comprehensive launch services and
mission management provider, the company provides a straightforward and
cost-effective suite of products and services including state-of-the-art
satellite infrastructure and rideshare launch offerings that enable
commercial and government entities to achieve their mission goals on
time and on budget. A service offering of Spaceflight Industries in
Seattle, Wash., Spaceflight provides its services through a global
network of partners and launch vehicle providers. For more information,
visit http://www.spaceflight.com.