Blue Canyon Technologies to Develop Six Additional DARPA Blackjack Satellites
Blue Canyon Technologies, a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX), has been awarded a Phase 3 contract to develop six more satellites for DARPA’s Blackjack program. This decision is aimed at advancing national security through resilient low Earth orbit satellite coverage.
CEO George Stafford emphasized achieving unprecedented economies of scale and rapid deployment timelines. The satellites will leverage commercial technological advancements, ensuring performance at reduced costs, shorter design cycles, and upgradable capabilities, utilizing the multi-mission X-SAT bus design.
- Awarded a Phase 3 contract for six additional satellites, enhancing capabilities for DARPA's Blackjack program.
- Cost-effective satellite design and rapid deployment schedule can improve national security assets.
- Utilization of commercial sector technology for implementation in defense applications.
- None.
Leading small satellite manufacturer and mission services provider Blue Canyon Technologies LLC (“BCT” or “Blue Canyon”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX), today announced it will develop an additional six satellites for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Blackjack program under a Phase 3 contract.
"We’re demonstrating an economy of scale previously unheard of for national security space assets, and we’re proving it can be done on a rapid schedule," said George Stafford, co-founder and CEO of Blue Canyon Technologies. "Blackjack will deliver persistent coverage in low Earth orbit that’s resilient by numbers.”
By incorporating commercial sector advances, including designs used for LEO broadband internet service, Blackjack will demonstrate that a constellation of LEO satellites can meet Department of Defense performance and payload requirements at a significantly lower cost, with shorter design cycles and with easier and more frequent technology upgrades.
Designed specifically for LEO missions, BCT will use the final design of its multi-mission X-SAT bus to begin procurement for the additional six satellites. The customized bus includes state-of-the-art electric propulsion, a robust power system, command and data handling, radio frequency communications and dedicated payload interfaces capable of hosting different DoD payloads.
In late 2020, BCT and DARPA completed the bus’s Critical Design Review at BCT’s Satellite Constellation Factory in Lafayette, Colorado. BCT is currently building the first four satellites to be delivered by the close of 2021. To support DARPA’s demonstration schedule, the company will deliver the additional six satellites by the close of 2022.
About Blue Canyon Technologies
Blue Canyon Technologies, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies, offers a diverse portfolio of innovative, reliable and affordable spacecraft that enable a broad range of missions and technological advancements for the new space economy, reducing the barriers of space entry. BCT is currently supporting nearly 50 unique missions with over 90 spacecraft, all in production at their newly developed 80,000-square-foot facility in Lafayette, Colorado.
BCT has supported missions for the U.S. Air Force, NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and provided the Attitude Control Systems for the first interplanetary CubeSats, which successfully traveled to Mars. The company has been recognized with awards from Inc. Magazine’s 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies, the 2020 Best in Biz Award and the 2020 Tibbetts Award.
For the latest news on Blue Canyon Technologies and for other company information, please visit www.bluecanyontech.com. You can follow the company on Instagram here or Twitter here.
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