{"title":"BlackSky vs Spire Global: Earth observation compared","url":"https://www.frontiertechintelligence.com/compare/blacksky-vs-spire-global","comparison":"BlackSky ranks 34 on the Space 100 with a score of 78; Spire Global ranks 84 with 66. BlackSky is ahead on commercials, progress, technology, positioning and firepower. Level on deployment, production and leverage. BlackSky is based in Herndon, United States, Spire Global in Vienna, United States. BlackSky: Established. BlackSky is named in 30 signals and Spire Global in 106.","companies":[{"name":"BlackSky","url":"https://www.frontiertechintelligence.com/companies/blacksky","city":"Herndon","country":"United States","stage":"Established","founded":null,"last_round":null,"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.","assessed_in":{"domain":"Space","list":"Space 100","rank":34,"score":78,"tier":"member","scores":{"gate_ne":["firepower"],"leverage":6,"position":8,"progress":10,"firepower":8,"commercial":8,"deployment":8,"production":6,"technology":8},"why":"BlackSky provides real-time satellite-derived intelligence for tactical surveillance, tracking and ISR customers including the U.S. Space Force and international defense users.","segment":"Earth observation","layer":"Satellites & spacecraft"},"signals_total":30,"facts_total":38},{"name":"Spire Global","url":"https://www.frontiertechintelligence.com/companies/spire-global","city":"Vienna","country":"United States","stage":null,"founded":null,"last_round":null,"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.","assessed_in":{"domain":"Space","list":"Space 100","rank":84,"score":66,"tier":"member","scores":{"gate_ne":["firepower"],"leverage":6,"position":6,"progress":9,"firepower":6,"commercial":6,"deployment":8,"production":6,"technology":6},"why":"Spire sells satellite-driven weather intelligence through AI-WX, AI-S2S, APIs and Cirrus, serving energy, agriculture, logistics, insurance, finance and government customers.","segment":"Earth observation","layer":"Satellites & spacecraft"},"signals_total":106,"facts_total":114}],"note":"Assessment by Frontier Tech Intelligence; facts and signals carry their sources."}