Satellite images of Saskatchewan, Canada, show progress on the construction of the Northgate Hub between Sept. 10, 2013 (Landsat 8, NASA/USGS) and Aug. 28, 2014 (Planet Labs).
On July 15, 2015, BlackBridge, a provider of satellite imagery and geospatial solutions, entered a definitive agreement for Planet Labs to acquire the RapidEye suite of core offerings. Planet Labs designs, builds and operates a fleet of Earth-imaging satellites.
BlackBridge has served customers across a broad range of domains, but has focused on agriculture, energy and infrastructure, consumer mapping, government, business intelligence, and environmental and social impact.
The combination of BlackBridge's downstream knowledge and global reach, with Planet Labs' strategy for agile aerospace, will create a long-term competitive advantage for the combined company, said Ryan Johnson, BlackBridge's CEO. We expect the industry to become far more competitive over the next number of years, with traditional players implementing new strategies and new competitors entering. The ability to continue to lead and adapt quickly to changing needs will be the key to continued success.”
Will Marshall, Planet Labs' CEO, believes that Planet Labs and BlackBridge have great mission alignment and offer complementary capabilities. BlackBridge brings a significant, global book of business and a substantial five-meter data archive from which to monitor global change. We're excited to fold their talented team, data collection, and deep industry roots into our rapidly growing operation.
The transaction is subject to the customary closing conditions and is expected to close during third-quarter 2015.
