Transparent COTS Pricing for American-Made Nanosatellite Platforms
Blackwing Space provides affordable, commercial American-made nanosatellite platforms with transparent pricing and standardized form factors.
Listed below are the base platform prices, static platform specifications, and modular options for the Sparrow, Kestrel, and Osprey platform family. Pricing covers the spacecraft platform itself; launch, licensing, and operations are listed separately as service add-ons.
Every Blackwing platform is quoted from a published base price. Educational pricing is available to universities, research institutions, and academic programs.
| Tier | Sparrow 1U | Sparrow 1U XL | Kestrel 3U XL | Osprey 6U XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Base | $25,000 | $35,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Educational Base | $20,000 | $30,000 | $45,000 | $90,000 |
Base pricing covers the spacecraft platform. Licensing, launch, and mission operations are quoted as service add-ons below.
All four platforms share the same payload interfaces, power rails, and onboard computer, so a payload developed against one platform carries over to the others. Full interface documentation is available in the Developer Hub.
| Specification | Sparrow 1U | Sparrow 1U XL | Kestrel 3U XL | Osprey 6U XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | 1U | 1.5U | 3U | 6U |
| Platform Mass | 2 kg | 3 kg | 6 kg | 12 kg |
| Stowed Dimensions (mm) | 113.5 × 100 × 100 | 170 × 100 × 100 | 366 × 100 × 100 | 366 × 226 × 100 |
| Structure Material | Al 6061-T6 | Al 6061-T6 | Al 6061-T6 | Al 6061-T6 |
| Available Payload Mass | 0.5 kg | 1 kg | 4 kg | 8 kg |
| Available Payload Volume | 0.3U | 0.3U | 2U | 4U |
| On-Orbit Average Power (OAP) | 0–5 W | 1–10 W | 3–30 W | 10–60 W |
| Data Interfaces | I2C, SPI, UART, GPIO | |||
| Power Interfaces | 3.3V, 5V, VBATT (7–8.4V) | |||
| Onboard Computer (OBC) | 1x Rook OBC (ARM Cortex-M4F @ 120MHz, 1MB Flash, 512KB MRAM, up to 2TB microSD) | |||
| Battery Capacity | 75 W-h (1x Puffin Pack) | 75 W-h (1x Puffin Pack) | 150 W-h (2x Puffin Pack) | 300 W-h (4x Puffin Pack) |
Specifications are for standard configurations and are subject to change. Confirm mission-specific values with the Blackwing Space team.
Platforms are configured from a fixed menu of modules and services. A dash indicates the option is not offered on that platform.
| Module / Service | Sparrow 1U | Sparrow 1U XL | Kestrel 3U XL | Osprey 6U XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FCC Licensing | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Operations (Monthly) | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| S-Band Radio | — | — | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Iridium Transceiver | — | $5,000 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| Deployable Solar Panels (1 Panel) | $5,000 | $7,500 | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| Deployable Solar Panels (2 Panels) | $10,000 | $15,000 | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| ADCS (2-Axis Coarse) | — | — | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| ADCS (3-Axis Coarse) | — | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| ADCS (3-Axis Fine) | — | — | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| Electric Propulsion (Standard) | — | — | $20,000 | $20,000 |
| Electric Propulsion (Advanced) | — | — | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Passive Drag Sail (Deorbit) | — | $15,000 | $15,000 | $15,000 |
Launch is arranged separately. See rideshare launch services for current opportunities.
Not every mission needs a complete spacecraft. Blackwing Space also sells individual components and lower-cost routes to orbit:
Contact and Ordering
For custom configurations, mission integration, or a formal quote, contact the Blackwing Space team at sales@blackwingspace.com.