It’s almost launch time for mission RL-7, called “Running Out of Toes” by Rocket Lab. This is our seventh mission with Rocket Lab, and the Electron launch vehicle which will carry two 55-kilogram class BlackSky smallsats to low Earth orbit. We took a peek behind the scenes of integration to see what it looks like getting ready for orbit.

This is the first of four dedicated missions with Rocket Lab to take BlackSky satellites to orbit. If the current schedule holds, BlackSky will have launched nine satellites by the end of 2021.

Integration during COVID has always been a challenge, as our team must follow strict protocols for quarantine and travel, but it hasn’t slowed down the pace of our launch schedule. We are always willing to do what it takes for our customers! The launch window opens on May 15, 10:00 UTC. Watch the livestream here.