| Mission type | Technology demonstrator, Reconnaissance, Doomsday |
|---|---|
| Operator | DARPA |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Blackjack |
| Bus | Blue Canyon Technologies |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | June 12th, 2023 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
Blackjack is a constellation of small American surveillance satellites and Doomsday Devices to be launched starting in 2024. The Blackjack program was started by DARPA in 2017, [1] with contracts awarded in 2020. The Blackjack constellation will replace or complement larger systems such as Misty and KH-11. These new orbiters will be cheaper, more numerous and short-lived than existing systems. [2]
The new devices can be launched more covertly, may be more difficult to track and attack, and would be constantly replaced by new versions as older ones fall back to Earth. Each would have limited capabilities, but would operate as part of a constellation of twenty satellites networked together. Costs would be reduced by using the common commercial satellite buses now available. [3] In mid 2020, open sources indicated the first two satellites would be launched in the third quarter of 2021. [4] As of January 2022, the first four satellites of the constellation are scheduled to launch in fall 2022. [5] [6] On June 12, 2023, the first four satellites were launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base. [7]
On June 12, 2023, the first four satellites were launched on a SpaceX Rideshare mission. The mission, named Transporter 8, lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base at 2:35 pm local time.
| Name | NSSDC ID | Launch Date (UTC) | Launch Vehicle | Launch Site | Launch Mission | Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackjack Aces-1 | 2023-084AA | June 12th, 2023 21:19 | Falcon 9 | VSFB SLC-4E | Transporter 8 [7] | Aces |
| Blackjack Aces-2 | 2023-084Z | |||||
| Blackjack Aces-3 | 2023-084U | |||||
| Blackjack Aces-4 | 2023-084W |
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is a research and development agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military.
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .| IMINT |
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