Official renderKestrel is the middle satellite platform in Blackwing Space's range, a 3U XL made to carry a customer's payload.
blackwing-kestrel Kestrel sits between the small Sparrow and the large Osprey in Blackwing Space's range of satellite platforms. It is a 3U XL, sold online and rated at 3 to 30 watts of average power over an orbit. Blackwing says the rails let a satellite join a shared launch late, by taking an open slot in a dispenser.
The frame is 6061 aluminium with a hard anodised finish, and Blackwing says it is qualified for the mechanical loads of SpaceX rideshare launches. Inside is the same Rook flight computer as on Sparrow. Two Puffin battery packs hold 150 watt-hours between them.
A mid-size 3U XL platform with room for a 4 kg payload and 30 W of orbit-average power. It is sold online with transparent pricing and can ride in open slots of existing rideshare deployers, which helps teams that need a late launch opportunity.
The frame alone weighs 375 grams. Optional side panels come blank, ready for the customer to modify, and add another 680 grams. Assembly instructions and fasteners are included, and the frame has built-in connections for deployment switches, solar arrays, a de-orbiting device, antennas and radiators.
The Rook board puts the flight computer and power control on one four-layer FR-4 circuit board. Its charge controller takes solar or USB-C input. Each Puffin Pack holds lithium-ion 18650 cells, and Kestrel carries two of them.
An S-band radio rated at 5 megabits a second is available for Kestrel and Osprey only. Pointing control comes in coarse versions, accurate to better than 10 degrees, and a precision version, better than 1 degree. Electric propulsion is available in a standard and an advanced form.
The 3U XL frame, finished with hard anodising.
The four-layer Rook circuit board.
The 18650 cells in each of the two Puffin Packs.
A draft Blackwing specification names PEEK, a plastic, as an alternative to aluminium for the frame.
Blackwing says Kestrel complies with the CubeSat Design Specification and the PC/104 board format. It names four compatible dispensers, which also fit Sparrow and Osprey: SEOPS Equalizer Flex, Maverick Space NLAS, Exolaunch EXOpod Nova and SPACEMIND SMPOD12. The Rook computer grew out of PyCubed, an open-source CubeSat design. Blackwing's pages mention no Kestrel flight.
Compatible deployer: 1U to 12U, tab and rail, up to 96U per port, flown on SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare
Compatible deployer: ruggedized 6U (or 2x3U) dispenser with NASA Ames NLAS heritage
Compatible deployer: 6U to 16U, expands CubeSat Design Specification limits (+30% mass, +400% protrusion volume)
Compatible deployer: SMPOD family, 3U/12U/16U, redundant NEA actuation; named on the home page as SMPOD12
The Rook avionics board used on every platform evolved from the PyCubed architecture
Interface standard; the draft specification page claims compliance
Board form factor named in the draft specification page
NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative
Reference for the CubeSat Design Specification and dispensers; the guide does not name this product
Blackwing Space
Aluminium alloy 6061. Here: Kestrel 3U XL Chassis; Structure (all platforms table). There: Sparrow 1U Chassis; Sparrow 1U XL Chassis and more.
Lithium-ion 18650 cells, two in series. Here: Puffin battery pack (Puffin Pack); Draft power module cells (Li-ion or LiFePO4). There: Puffin battery pack (Puffin Pack); Draft power module cells (Li-ion or LiFePO4).
Carbon fibre. Here: Structure option: carbon composite shell finish. There: Structure option: carbon composite shell finish.
FR-4 glass-fibre epoxy laminate. Here: Rook printed circuit board. There: Rook printed circuit board.
Gallium arsenide. Here: Draft solar panel cells (triple-junction GaAs). There: Draft solar panel cells (triple-junction GaAs).
Polyetheretherketone. Here: Structure option: PEEK frame. There: Structure option: PEEK frame.
Blackwing Space
Aluminium alloy 6061. Here: Kestrel 3U XL Chassis; Structure (all platforms table). There: Osprey 6U XL Chassis; Structure (all platforms table).
Lithium-ion 18650 cells, two in series. Here: Puffin battery pack (Puffin Pack); Draft power module cells (Li-ion or LiFePO4). There: Puffin battery pack (Puffin Pack); Draft power module cells (Li-ion or LiFePO4).
Carbon fibre. Here: Structure option: carbon composite shell finish. There: Structure option: carbon composite shell finish.
FR-4 glass-fibre epoxy laminate. Here: Rook printed circuit board. There: Rook printed circuit board.
Gallium arsenide. Here: Draft solar panel cells (triple-junction GaAs). There: Draft solar panel cells (triple-junction GaAs).
Polyetheretherketone. Here: Structure option: PEEK frame. There: Structure option: PEEK frame.
ESA
Lithium-ion 18650 cells, two in series. Here: Puffin battery pack (Puffin Pack); Draft power module cells (Li-ion or LiFePO4). There: Battery.
Carbon fibre. Here: Structure option: carbon composite shell finish. There: Platform structure supplier (eoPortal).
Gallium arsenide. Here: Draft solar panel cells (triple-junction GaAs). There: Solar cells.
ESA
Lithium-ion 18650 cells, two in series. Here: Puffin battery pack (Puffin Pack); Draft power module cells (Li-ion or LiFePO4). There: Battery.
Carbon fibre. Here: Structure option: carbon composite shell finish. There: Outer panels (3).
Gallium arsenide. Here: Draft solar panel cells (triple-junction GaAs). There: Photovoltaic array.
PSAS / Oregon State
Aluminium alloy 6061. Here: Kestrel 3U XL Chassis; Structure (all platforms table). There: 1U +X frame; Card wedge (card clamp) and more.
Lithium-ion 18650 cells, two in series. Here: Puffin battery pack (Puffin Pack); Draft power module cells (Li-ion or LiFePO4). There: 18650 cell (Tenergy, 4 per card); Battery cell model (README).
Gallium arsenide. Here: Draft solar panel cells (triple-junction GaAs). There: Solar cell (SpectraLabs XTE-SF, 2 per module); Solar cell technology.
AlbertaSat
Aluminium alloy 6061. Here: Kestrel 3U XL Chassis; Structure (all platforms table). There: Rails; Rails (material statement) and more.
Gallium arsenide. Here: Draft solar panel cells (triple-junction GaAs). There: Solar cell type (paper).
Polyetheretherketone. Here: Structure option: PEEK frame. There: Deployment-mechanism parts.
Blackwing hasn't published a datasheet, developer page or interface guide for Kestrel, and says final specifications go to qualified customers on request. It says all its platforms share one payload interface, but only Sparrow's is documented. Its pages give two different payload masses and two different lengths for Kestrel.
What is written above is built from these numbers and quotes. Each row links to the page it was taken from. Get all of it as JSON, or ask our MCP server.
| What | Value |
|---|---|
| Form factor | 3U XL |
| Payload | 4 kg payload mass; 2U payload volume; 30W OAP (not defined on the site) |
| Compatible deployers | SEOPS Equalizer Flex, Maverick Space NLAS, Exolaunch EXOpod Nova, SPACEMIND SMPOD12 |
| Kestrel 3U XL structure mass | 375 g (+680 g with blank side panels) |
| Kestrel dimensions (chassis page) | 340 / 100 / 100 mm (page text says Standard 6U, a typo) |
| Kestrel stowed dimensions (pricing page) | 366 x 100 x 100 mm |
| Kestrel payload limit (chassis page) | 2.95 kg (pricing page says 4 kg) |
| Platform mass | 6 kg |
| Orbit-average power | 3 to 30 W |
| Battery capacity | 150 W-h (two Puffin Packs) |
| Draft structure mass range (1U to 6U) | 0.15 kg (1U) to 0.80 kg (6U) including fasteners, draft |
| CDS Rev 14.1: rail minimum width | 8.5 mm, measured from the rail edge to the first protrusion |
| CDS Rev 14.1: rail surface roughness | less than 1.6 micrometres (a 'should') |
| CDS Rev 14.1: rail edge radius | at least 1 mm (a 'should') |
| CDS Rev 14.1: rail end contact area | 6.5 mm x 6.5 mm minimum on the +/- Z face |
| CDS Rev 14.1: protrusion limit | 6.5 mm normal to the surface from the plane of the rail |
| CDS Rev 14.1: rail contact with dispenser | at least 75% of the rail |
| CDS Rev 14.1: structure material | aluminium alloy; 7075, 6061, 6082, 5005 and/or 5052 typical |
| CDS Rev 14.1: rail surface finish | hard anodized wherever it touches the dispenser rails |
| CDS Rev 14.1: maximum mass per size | 1U 2.00 kg, 1.5U 3.00 kg, 2U 4.00 kg, 3U 6.00 kg, 6U 12.00 kg, 12U 24.00 kg |
| CDS Rev 14.1: separation spring guideline | max force below 6.7 N (1.5 lbf), stroke above 2.5 mm |
| CDS Rev 14.1: deployment switch | at least one, actuated while the CubeSat is in the dispenser |
| CDS Rev 14.1: outgassing | TML at most 1.0 % and CVCM at most 0.1 % |
| CDS Rev 14.1: remove-before-flight pin | required; protrudes no more than 6.5 mm from the rail surface when fully inserted |
Each material named in the sources: where it is used here, which other products use it, and its key numbers when its material page exists.
Used in 2 partsKestrel 3U XL Chassis · Structure (all platforms table)
Used in 2 partsPuffin battery pack (Puffin Pack) · Draft power module cells (Li-ion or LiFePO4)
Used in 1 partStructure option: carbon composite shell finish
Used in 1 partRook printed circuit board
Used in 1 partDraft solar panel cells (triple-junction GaAs)
Used in 1 partStructure option: PEEK frame
The only parts-level data is the chassis shop page and a spec-table row that name one aluminium alloy and a hard anodize; no drawings or interface documents exist for Kestrel. Components, suppliers and links were added from public sources. A material is left blank where no source states it.
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kestrel 3U XL Chassis“Aluminum 6061 T6 or T651 Hard anodized (Anodized + Flight)” | Aluminum 6061 T6 or T651aluminium-6061 | Hard anodized (Anodized + Flight); anodize type/class not stated | SKU KESTREL-3U-XL-CHASSI |
| Kestrel 3U XL Chassis optional side panels“Optional side panels ready to be modified to end user needs” | not stated | — | — |
| Kestrel 3U XL Chassis assembly fasteners“Guided assembly instructions and fasteners provided” | not stated | — | — |
| Structure (all platforms table)“Structure Material Al 6061-T6” | Al 6061-T6aluminium-6061 | — | — |
| Chassis interface provisionsMounting and electrical interfaces built into the chassis for deployment switches, solar arrays, de-orbiting device, HF antennas and radiators“Includes interfaces for deployment switches, solar arrays, de-orbiting device, HF antennas, radiators and more” | Not said | — | — |
| Tuna can antenna volumeChassis is prepared for the CubeSat -Z face extra-volume antenna“Tuna can antenna ready” | Not said | — | — |
| Blank side panelsOptional panels bolted to the chassis; sold blank to be modified by the user“375g structure (+680g with blank side panels)” | Not said | — | — |
| Rideshare-qualified frameFrame is stated as qualified to SpaceX rideshare mechanical levels“Frame qualified to SpaceX ride share mechanical levels” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rook onboard computer (one per platform)Flight computer, command and data handling and electrical power system on one four-layer board; the platform's OBC“Rook is Blackwing Space’s integrated flight avionics board” | Not said | — | Supplier: Blackwing Space |
| Rook printed circuit boardCarries all Rook electronics“Four-layer FR-4” | FR-4 (glass-epoxy laminate; grade not stated)fr-4 | — | — |
| Flight processor, Microchip ATSAMD51J20A32-bit Arm Cortex-M4F running CircuitPython or embedded C“Microchip ATSAMD51J20A, 32-bit Arm Cortex-M4F, up to 120 MHz” | Not said | — | Supplier: Microchip |
| Persistent memory, Everspin MR25H40 MRAMStores logs, event counters, calibration data and safe-mode flags“Everspin MR25H40 MRAM, 4 Mbit (512 KB)” | Not said | — | Supplier: Everspin |
| QSPI NOR flash, Winbond W25Q128Holds software, libraries, telemetry buffers and over-the-air images“Winbond W25Q128 NOR flash, 128 Mbit (16 MB)” | Not said | — | Supplier: Winbond |
| microSD card interfaceRemovable bulk storage for mission or payload data“Removable storage - microSD interface” | Not said | — | — |
| Inertial sensor, BNO086Nine-axis IMU with onboard sensor fusion“BNO086 nine-axis IMU with onboard sensor fusion” | Not said | — | — |
| Watchdogs (SAMD51 internal and MAX706 external)Watchdog recovery of the flight computer“SAMD51 internal watchdog and MAX706 external watchdog” | Not said | — | — |
| Bootloader ROOKBOOTRuns first after every reset from a protected flash region; MRAM holds a backup image“ROOKBOOT, in the protected 16 KB BOOTPROT region, with MRAM backup image” | Not said | — | — |
| Flight software environmentCircuitPython 10 or embedded C on the Rook board“CircuitPython 10 or embedded C” | Not said | — | — |
| GPIO expander, MCP2301716-bit I2C expander for burn-wire relays, payload power switching, RBF sensing and charger interrupts“MCP23017 16-bit I2C GPIO expander - burn-wire relays, payload power switching, RBF sensing, charger interrupts” | Not said | — | — |
| I2C hot-swap buffers, TCA4307 (x4)Hot-swap and stuck-bus recovery on the I2C buses“Four TCA4307 I2C hot-swap and stuck-bus-recovery buffers” | Not said | — | — |
| Burn-wire driversRelease deployables; hardware relay inhibit“High-current burn-wire drivers with hardware relay inhibit” | Not said | — | — |
| Radio interface connector (20-pin Samtec) and SMP RF connectionPower, SPI, reset, programming and control to the radio, plus a separate RF cable connection“20-pin Samtec connector - power, SPI, reset, programming, control; separate SMP RF connection” | Not said | — | Supplier: Samtec |
| GNSS footprint, Orion B16-S L1/L5 (provision only)Footprint and SMP antenna connection for a GNSS receiver; not populated in the current bill of materials“Orion B16-S L1/L5 footprint provision and SMP antenna connection - NOT populated in the current BOM” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charge controller, TI BQ25798 buck-boostDual-input (solar and USB-C) battery charger, software-programmable up to 5 A“TI BQ25798 buck-boost charger” | Not said | — | Supplier: Texas Instruments |
| Solar-input ideal-diode controllers, LTC4412 (x6)Isolate the solar inputs from each other so shaded panels cannot backfeed“Six LTC4412 ideal-diode PowerPath controllers” | Not said | — | — |
| eFuse, TPS259470 (with fuses, TVS, zener clamps, battery protection FETs)Layered electrical protection“TPS259470 eFuse, physical fuses, TVS protection, zener clamps, and battery protection FETs” | Not said | — | — |
| Low-noise regulator, LT3045Supplies the RF and GNSS circuits“LT3045-regulated RF/GNSS supply” | Not said | — | — |
| Radio power-amplifier supply (switched 11 V boost)Powers the radio power amplifier“Switched 11 V boost supply” | Not said | — | — |
| Power monitor, ADM1176Voltage and current monitoring“ADM1176 voltage and current monitor” | Not said | — | — |
| Regulated rails (3.3 V and two 5 V)Rails offered to the platform and payload“3.3 V and two 5 V rails” | Not said | — | — |
| Puffin battery pack (Puffin Pack)Rechargeable battery pack; platform carries two Puffin Packs (150 W-h)“150 W-h (2x Puffin Pack)” | Lithium-ion 18650 cells, two in serieslithium-ion-cell | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warbler UHF radioOpenLST-derived UHF radio on the Rook radio interface“Warbler UHF radio - OpenLST-derived, on the dedicated 20-pin Rook radio interface” | Not said | — | — |
| Hummingbird LoRa radioLoRa radio for packet, telemetry, ground-station and RF-link development; stated as available Q3 2026“Hummingbird LoRa radio - packet, telemetry, ground-station, and RF-link development. (Available Q3 2026)” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deployable solar panel wings (1 or 2 panels)Optional deployable arrays to raise orbit-average power; body-mounted panels are the alternative“Deployable Solar Panels (1 Panel)” | Not said | — | — |
| S-band radioHigher-rate downlink; offered on Kestrel and Osprey only“S-Band Radio — — $5,000 $5,000” | Not said | — | — |
| Iridium transceiverGlobal backup communications band“Iridium Transceiver — $5,000 $5,000 $5,000” | Not said | — | — |
| 2-axis coarse ADCSAttitude control option; offered on Kestrel and Osprey“ADCS (2-Axis Coarse) — — $20,000 $20,000” | Not said | — | — |
| 3-axis coarse ADCSAttitude control option“ADCS (3-Axis Coarse)” | Not said | — | — |
| 3-axis fine ADCSPrecision attitude control option; offered on Kestrel and Osprey“ADCS (3-Axis Fine) — — $50,000 $50,000” | Not said | — | — |
| Electric propulsion, standardOrbit-control option; offered on Kestrel and Osprey“Electric Propulsion (Standard) — — $20,000 $20,000” | Not said | — | — |
| Electric propulsion, advancedHigher-performance orbit-control option“Electric Propulsion (Advanced) — — $30,000 $30,000” | Not said | — | — |
| Passive drag sailDeorbit device for the FCC 5-year lifetime rule“Passive Drag Sail (Deorbit)” | Not said | — | — |
| Part | Material | Finish and standard | Made by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure option: PEEK frameAlternative to aluminium in the draft structure specification (page marked draft, subject to change)“Material: Aluminum 6061-T6 or PEEK” | PEEKpeek | — | — |
| Structure option: carbon composite shell finishAlternative to hard anodizing in the draft structure specification“Finish: Hard-anodized or carbon composite shell” | Carbon composite (resin not stated)carbon-fibre | — | — |
| Draft solar panel cells (triple-junction GaAs)Draft specification for fixed or deployable arrays“Triple-junction GaAs cells > 29 % efficiency” | Gallium arsenide (triple-junction cells)gallium-arsenide | — | — |
| Draft power module cells (Li-ion or LiFePO4)Draft specification for battery packs sized 1U to 6U“Configurations: 1U–6U with Li-ion or LiFePO₄ packs” | Lithium-ion or lithium iron phosphate cells (draft)lithium-ion-cell | — | — |
| Draft antennas (deployable spring or hinge type)UHF (LoRa), S-band, Iridium and GNSS L1/E1 options with integrated ground plane“Deployable spring or hinge type; integrated ground plane” | Not said | — | — |
| Draft software-defined radioUHF (LoRa), S-band or Iridium options; firmware reprogrammable on orbit“Software-Defined Radio (SDR) firmware reprogrammable on-orbit” | Not said | — | — |
No Kestrel developer page, payload interface guide, drawings or STEP file are published (Blackwing says Kestrel developer tools are in development; the Sparrow guide is the only published interface document). The pricing page says all platforms share the same payload interfaces, but the Sparrow payload module drawings are Sparrow-specific and are not applied here. No anodize standard, fastener material, side-panel material, or connector part number for this platform is stated. Chassis pages say 'Aluminum 6061 T6 or T651' without saying which. More detail: Kestrel has no published developer page, interface guide or drawings (listed as coming soon). No bill of materials: fastener count and material, side-panel material, anodize type, solar panel and radio suppliers, ADCS and electric-propulsion suppliers, thermal coatings and adhesives are not stated. The chassis page gives 340 / 100 / 100 mm and 'Standard 6U' while the pricing page gives 366 x 100 x 100 mm for the 3U XL, and payload mass 2.95 kg vs 4 kg. The Specifications page is draft. No Kestrel has flown according to the pages read. More detail: Kestrel has no published developer page, interface guide or drawings (listed as coming soon). No bill of materials: fastener count and material, side-panel material, anodize type, solar panel and radio suppliers, ADCS and electric-propulsion suppliers, thermal coatings and adhesives are not stated. The chassis page gives 340 / 100 / 100 mm and 'Standard 6U' while the pricing page gives 366 x 100 x 100 mm for the 3U XL, and payload mass 2.95 kg vs 4 kg. The Specifications page is draft. No Kestrel has flown according to the pages read.
Collected from public pages and documents, checked 4 Nov 2026.
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