In Focus
In Focus was a Rocket Lab Electron mission that launched successfully at 21:21 UTC on 28 October 2020 (10:21 a.m. NZDT on 29 October; 5:21 p.m. EDT on 28 October) from Launch Complex 1A on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula.
21:21 UTC on 28 October 2020 · 10:21 a.m. NZDT on 29 October · 5:21 p.m. EDT on 28 October
Mission State
This mission currently has a dated launch window in the tracker.
The primary watch link points to an official Rocket Lab source.
Name Origin
Named for the mission's dual imaging payloads: 9 Planet SuperDove Earth-observation satellites and Canon's CE-SAT-IIB camera satellite. "In Focus" references the imaging theme shared by both primary customers.
Mission Overview
"In Focus" is a rideshare mission carrying 10 Earth observation satellites for Planet and Canon Electronics.
Technical Details
29
kiwis- In Focus rocketlabusa.com
Launch data cross-checked against Wikipedia.
Was this a jellyfish launch?
UnlikelySun 48° above the horizon at liftoff — daylight, the sky is too bright.
Details
- Unlikely
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Liftoff
- 10:21 a.m. NZDT · 21:21 UTC
- Astronomical dawn (−18°)
- 4:23 a.m. NZDT · 15:23 UTC
- Nautical dawn (−12°)
- 4:59 a.m. NZDT · 15:59 UTC
- Civil dawn (−6°)
- 5:34 a.m. NZDT · 16:34 UTC
- Sunrise
- 6:02 a.m. NZDT · 17:02 UTC
Twilight times at the pad (Mahia, NZ) for the morning of the launch.
What's a rocket jellyfish? When a rocket launches in twilight, the ground is dark but its exhaust plume climbs into sunlight high above. The expanding plume glows against the dark sky in a jellyfish-like shape.
Space-Object Catalog
| Object | Operator | Built by | Mass | Orbit | Status | NORAD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Flock 4e'-1 2020-077A · Payload | Operator Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) | Built by Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) Cubesat 3U | Mass 5.7 kg | Orbit 169 × 181 km · 97.3° | Status Decayed 2023-12-06 | NORAD 46813 |
Flock 4e'-7 2020-077B · Payload | Operator Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) | Built by Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) Cubesat 3U | Mass 5.7 kg | Orbit 165 × 179 km · 97.3° | Status Decayed 2024-02-17 | NORAD 46814 |
Flock 4e'-9 2020-077C · Payload | Operator Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) | Built by Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) Cubesat 3U | Mass 5.7 kg | Orbit 175 × 186 km · 97.3° | Status Decayed 2023-12-10 | NORAD 46815 |
Flock 4e'-8 2020-077D · Payload | Operator Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) | Built by Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) Cubesat 3U | Mass 5.7 kg | Orbit 232 × 246 km · 97.3° | Status Decayed 2024-03-21 | NORAD 46816 |
Flock 4e'-5 2020-077E · Payload | Operator Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) | Built by Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) Cubesat 3U | Mass 5.7 kg | Orbit 159 × 172 km · 97.3° | Status Decayed 2024-03-06 | NORAD 46817 |
CE-SAT-IIB 2020-077F · Payload | Operator Kiyanondenshi | Built by Kiyanondenshi CE-SAT | Mass 35 kg | Orbit 152 × 165 km · 97.2° | Status Decayed 2026-07-14 | NORAD 46818 |
Flock 4e'-3 2020-077G · Payload | Operator Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) | Built by Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) Cubesat 3U | Mass 5.7 kg | Orbit 136 × 156 km · 97.3° | Status Decayed 2024-03-03 | NORAD 46819 |
Flock 4e'-2 2020-077H · Payload | Operator Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) | Built by Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) Cubesat 3U | Mass 5.7 kg | Orbit 164 × 175 km · 97.3° | Status Decayed 2023-11-01 | NORAD 46820 |
Flock 4e'-4 2020-077J · Payload | Operator Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) | Built by Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) Cubesat 3U | Mass 5.7 kg | Orbit 140 × 159 km · 97.3° | Status Decayed 2023-11-21 | NORAD 46821 |
Flock 4e'-6 2020-077K · Payload | Operator Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) | Built by Planet Labs, Inc. (Planet) Cubesat 3U | Mass 5.7 kg | Orbit 156 × 164 km · 97.3° | Status Decayed 2023-12-02 | NORAD 46822 |
Electron 15 Stage 2 2020-077L · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Electron St2 | Mass 250 kg | Orbit 134 × 173 km · 97.5° | Status Decayed 2020-11-11 | NORAD 46823 |
Electron 15 Kick Stage 2020-077M · Stage | Operator Rocket Lab Ltd. | Built by Rocket Lab Ltd. Kick Stage | Mass 50 kg | Orbit 148 × 159 km · 96.6° | Status Decayed 2024-01-14 | NORAD 46824 |