BlackSky vs Spire Global: Earth observation compared

Scores, Space (of 10)

Darker bar: ahead of the other company on that measure.

Positioning

BlackSky is a US Earth-observation operator (NYSE:BKSY) deploying its Gen-3 constellation (35cm imagery, sub-hourly revisit), with FY25 record revenue of $107M, Q2-26 revenue of $33M (+50%), and FY26 guidance of $130-150M at positive adjusted EBITDA (a second consecutive positive-EBITDA year). Backlog reached ~$380M by Q1-26 (including a $99M sole-source AFRL IDIQ ceiling), with more than 80% of funded backlog in multi-year international subscription contracts and international growth now outpacing the US. It is converting bespoke missions into recurring subscriptions while spending up to $60M capex to scale Gen-3.

Latest signals

• 16 Oct 2026BlackSky extended its HEO agreement with a seven-figure annual non-Earth imaging contract.Satellite Evolution
• 25 Sept 2026BlackSky CEO Brian O'Toole identifies sovereign market as the top opportunity at Space Defense and Security SummitVia Satellite
• 15 Sept 2026Sovereign Earth Observation satellite market executives assess changing dynamics at Space Defense and Security summitVia Satellite

30 signals name BlackSky.

Facts, with sources

• 9 Sept 2026Exclusive provider of a very high-resolution electro-optical constellation for a new space-based AI infrastructure initiativewww.stocktitan.net — 2026-09-09
• 11 Aug 2026Seven-figure, multi-year international contract for combined Assured and On-Demand subscriptionsLeoStella
• 11 Aug 2026International customer revenues grew year-over-year in Q2 2026SpaceNews

38 facts on file.

Scores, Space (of 10)

Darker bar: ahead of the other company on that measure.

Positioning

Spire Global is a US operator of a multi-payload nanosatellite constellation for RF sensing (weather, AIS, ADS-B) plus a space-services model building satellites for others, having reset its balance sheet by selling its maritime business to Kpler (~$241M, 2025) and now forecasting ~50% revenue growth in 2026. Its European pivot has a humanoid-list crossover: Schaeffler (which tops the Humanoids list) and Diehl are named partners in its German manufacturing expansion. Post-divestiture revenue is estimated at 10-100m.

Latest signals

• 27 Aug 2026Estuaire used approximately 8,000 Spire Global flight tracks to build an aviation emissions-tool auditing framework.Spire Global
• 26 Aug 2026Spire Global won a $28 million NOAA contract to develop a hyperspectral microwave sounding satellite.SpaceNews
• 14 Aug 2026NOAA awarded Spire Global and PlanetiQ contracts for radio-occultation dataSpaceNews

106 signals name Spire Global.

Facts, with sources

• 26 Aug 2026NOAA contract for a hyperspectral microwave sounderSpaceNews
• 26 Aug 2026NOAA contract to develop new weather satellite instruments for the TMATE projectVia Satellite
• 26 Aug 2026NOAA contract to build and flight qualify a satellite and hyperspectral microwave sounderSpaceNews

114 facts on file.