Mission at-a-glance:

• Customers: Canon Electronics
• Launch Vehicle: Rocket Lab Electron
• Launch Location: Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand
• Total spacecraft: 1

Spaceflight procured and managed the launch of Canon Electronic’s CE-SAT-IB imaging satellite on Rocket Lab’s Electron mission in July 2020. CE-SAT-IB is a 67 kilogram microsatellite which can resolve 90 centimeter objects on the ground from space. The mission objective for the CE-SAT-IB satellite is to demonstrate Canon Electronics Inc.’s Earth-imaging technology with high-resolution and wide-angle cameras, as well as test the microsatellite for mass production.

Additionally, Spaceflight is coordinating the launch of another Canon satellite, CE-SAT-IIB, which is slated to lift off later in 2020. It will carry three cameras with different resolutions and sensitivities.

Unfortunately, late into the flight during the 2nd stage burn, the Electron suffered an anomaly and all 7 spacecraft on the mission were lost. More information will be provided as it becomes available.