--- title: De-Cluttering the Earth Observation Experience description: In today’s episode of New Space, we talk to BlackSky’s Amanda Marchetti, Director of Market Development, and Morgan Cox, Senior Director of Business Development, about how BlackSky simplifies the Earth Observation end-user experience. image: https://explorenewspace.com/hubfs/Hero4.png --- - [All episodes](https://explorenewspace.com#allepisodes) - [About us](https://explorenewspace.com/about-us) - [Contact](https://explorenewspace.com/contact-us) - [Subscribe](https://explorenewspace.com#subscribe-section) # De-Cluttering the Earth Observation Experience [Listen now](https://explorenewspace.com/blog/de-cluttering-the-earth-observation-experience#popupform) LISTEN ON [![itunes-icon](https://explorenewspace.com/hubfs/Podcasts/itunes-icon.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-space/id1646518184) [![SoundCloud-icon](https://explorenewspace.com/hubfs/Podcasts/SoundCloud-icon.svg)](https://soundcloud.com/new-space-697923760) [![Spotify-icon](https://explorenewspace.com/hubfs/Podcasts/Spotify-icon.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/2N7ebnGbevSWjoVMo3wuWy) Everyone with that one junk drawer in their kitchen knows how hard it is to find a Phillips screwdriver or a AA battery amidst a sea of random cords and knickknacks. Now, imagine that junk drawer is the size of planet Earth.  For years, the Earth Observation (EO) industry has suffered a problem: analysts combing their way through mountains of data and imagery, trying to find the information they need.   But in an industry where timeliness is critical, this model can be crippling — and quite possibly the chief stumbling block to widespread adoption.  “\[Analysts\] just don't have the time to look at every single image,” said BlackSky Director of Market Development Amanda Marchetti. “And sometimes a human can actually miss things … what I generally call detection fatigue. I've watched users actually get tired and just miss critical pieces of intelligence.”    #### Cued by the Customer  Amanda, alongside BlackSky Senior Director of Business Development Morgan Cox, joined us to talk about how their company is making the EO experience simple for end users.    The idea for BlackSky began with the concept of building a user-friendly interface, even before they had satellites in orbit.   As Amanda told it, “We actually started as a software company. And we started with the \[Spectra AI\] platform… the end user was going to use to derive intelligence… an interface where they can access the world at their fingertips and access the insight to solve their key mission or business problems.”    After experiencing success with Spectra AI, BlackSky decided to further bolster user value by establishing their own satellite constellation. These satellites can be directly tasked by customers to collect an image at any location, at any time of day, to gather the intelligence needed to solve the most critical of problems.   “It's just intuitive,” Morgan said. “You sit down in front of it, you can see the orders, you've put in the taskings. \[You\] just go to the tasking screen. You identify a location \[and\] you can identify the cadence at which you want to get it… it'll just bring imagery in as it goes.”  This data come quickly. “We're not talking days,” Morgan said. “We're certainly not talking weeks anymore. I mean, we're talking hours to get that imagery back in your inbox…it's just staggeringly fast.”  ### Fuel Crisis in Haiti ![02_Blockade](https://explorenewspace.com/hs-fs/hubfs/02_Blockade.png?width=1600&height=932&name=02_Blockade.png) A Satellite View of the Two Month Blockade at the Varreux Fuel Terminal, featuring BlackSky Nighttime Imaging (NTI). ![03_NightImagery](https://explorenewspace.com/hs-fs/hubfs/03_NightImagery.png?width=1600&height=932&name=03_NightImagery.png) A Satellite View of the Two Month Blockade at the Varreux Fuel Terminal, featuring BlackSky Nighttime Imaging (NTI). ![04_EndingBlockade](https://explorenewspace.com/hs-fs/hubfs/04_EndingBlockade.png?width=1600&height=932&name=04_EndingBlockade.png) A Satellite View of the Two Month Blockade at the Varreux Fuel Terminal, featuring BlackSky Nighttime Imaging (NTI). 01 / 10 #### Undertaking with an Understanding    Armed with this data, customers can begin to understand their Areas of Interest (AOIs) by building patterns of activity.  According to Amanda, “\[Users\] start to understand where life is happening… we're giving our end users the ability to literally look \[at\] any place in the world and monitor for the activity that answers the pressing questions for their business or for their government.”  Empowered by these answers, BlackSky Spectra AI users and their organizations can take confident and informed action to solve their problems, with applications reaching across many industries and needs.  For instance, companies and organizations can gain a better understanding of supply chains in turbulent situations, such as the volatile changes in fertilizer supply out of Ukraine following the Russian invasion.  EO data can also prove invaluable during the insurance claims process. With an accurate picture of properties and areas before or after damage has occurred, companies and individuals can drastically streamline the assessment process.  As Amanda explained, “It saves them a tremendous amount of money and investment on their end… and time for their customer to just start the process of rebuilding their homes and rebuilding their lives.”  Ultimately, BlackSky hopes their services can also be used for the benefit of public safety. “As we dig through our archive,” Amanda said, “\[We can see\] how this particular location has changed over time. And we can help our public safety officials make better, more strategic decisions.”    #### A Targeted Approach    Overall, BlackSky’s success lies in its specificity. Whereas other EO companies are looking to capture large, comprehensive picture, BlackSky is zeroing in on specific customer needs and interests.  “We don't go for the broad area,” Amanda said. “We focus on key locations… it's really more about, ‘How is this location changing day by day, hour by hour, and how does that information solve my business or mission problem?’”  ### Guests ###### Amanda Marchetti Director of Market Development, BlackSky  Amanda brings more than 20 years of experience in geospatial intelligence to her work at BlackSky. She is passionate about developing location intelligence-driven solutions and bringing innovations in big data analytics to market. ###### Morgan Cox Senior Director of Business Development, BlackSky Morgan focuses on commercial markets in his work at BlackSky, where he champions the company’s unique software development and customer-focused approach. Instead of only providing data, he helps design BlackSky solutions with the customer. ![NS_PodcastCoverArt](https://explorenewspace.com/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/NS_PodcastCoverArt.png) NEW SPACE PODCAST ## Subscribe for frequent updates on New Space ###### Share this podcast - [SHARE](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://explorenewspace.com/blog/de-cluttering-the-earth-observation-experience) - [SHARE](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://explorenewspace.com/blog/de-cluttering-the-earth-observation-experience) - [SHARE](http://twitter.com/share?&url=https://explorenewspace.com/blog/de-cluttering-the-earth-observation-experience) - [SHARE](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://explorenewspace.com/blog/de-cluttering-the-earth-observation-experience) - [SHARE](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://explorenewspace.com/blog/de-cluttering-the-earth-observation-experience) - [SHARE](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?&url=https://explorenewspace.com/blog/de-cluttering-the-earth-observation-experience) [![Logo](https://explorenewspace.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo.png?width=237&height=80&name=Logo.png "Logo")](https://explorenewspace.com/) - [All episodes](https://explorenewspace.com) - [About us](https://explorenewspace.com/about-us) - [Contact us](https://explorenewspace.com/contact-us) - Follow us: Follow us: - [![instagram-icon](https://explorenewspace.com/hubfs/Homepage/Instagram-icon.svg)](https://www.instagram.com/explorenewspace/) - [![linkedin-icon](https://explorenewspace.com/hubfs/Homepage/LinkedIn-Icon-SM.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/explore-new-space/) - [![facebook-icon](https://explorenewspace.com/hubfs/Homepage/Facebook-icon.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/explorenewspace) The New Space podcast is an Everhouse production. 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