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First Light

retired
Technology DemonstrationLEOCOSPAR 2020-060ALaunched 8/31/2020
Admin Edit
Mission & Launch
Launch Mission
I Can't Believe It's..
Launch Vehicle
Electron
Launch Date
8/31/2020
Last Contact
1/1/2021
Orbit & Mass
Orbit Class
LEO
Altitude
538 km
Inclination
45.1 deg
Dry Mass
20 kg
Total Mass
50 kg
Payload Classification
Mission Type
Technology Demonstration
Payload Category
TECH
Payload Class
B
Organizations
Operator
Rocket Lab
Manufacturer
Rocket Lab
Registry
COSPAR ID
2020-060A
UN Registration
ST/SG/SER.E/959
Track
Mentions
36
All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.
0.0-5.0
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First light images from the Pelican-3 satellite of Turin, Italy have been released.

CapabilityGeneralValue 2.5Sep 19, 2025First Light Image From Pelican-3 Satellite Released

Only nine Angara launches have taken place since the first light version launched in July 2014.

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PlanGeneralValue 2.0May 27, 2025The more things change…

Orbital Sidekick released first-light imagery from two hyperspectral satellites on 2024-04-03.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.2Apr 3, 2024Orbital Sidekick shares first-light imagery

The two BlackSky satellites delivered first light burst images of the Port of Long Beach, California, in 11 hours and 59 minutes after liftoff.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Mar 28, 2023BlackSky’s New Satellites Complete Commissioning, Enter Revenue-Generating Operations Within 18 Hours

The NOAA-21 first light image was generated using NOAA-21 Preliminary, Non-Operational Data.

GeneralCapabilityValue 3.0Feb 16, 2023First global image from NOAA-21’s CrIS Instrument

The Wide Field of View (WFOV) geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) demonstration satellite will receive first light data from its sensor after calibration is completed.

PlanCapabilityValue 3.6Oct 24, 2022Space Force to activate sensor on Wide-Field-of-View missile warning satellite

The Space Surveillance Telescope achieved first light in 2020 when its optics were aligned with its wide-field-of-view camera to capture its first images of objects in orbit.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Sep 30, 2022Space surveillance telescope developed by the U.S. begins operations in Australia

Bill Weber was a founding partner of First Light Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company seeking to merge with a company in the aerospace and defense markets.

GovernancePlanValue 2.5Sep 1, 2022Firefly hires new CEO ahead of second launch

SBIRS GEO-5 powered on its sensors for the first time during space vehicle checkout in June 2021 and transmitted its first images back to Earth in an event known as First Light.

CapabilityValue 4.0Oct 4, 2021The Enhanced SBIRS GEO-6 Satellite Ready Early For Scheduled 2022 Launch

Rocket Lab currently operates two Photon spacecraft on orbit named Photon First Light and Photon Pathstone, launched in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Aug 12, 2021Rocket Lab Contracts To Launch BlackSky Global Monitoring Smallsats + Photon Spacecraft For Varda Space’s In-Space Manufacturing Factories

Photon Pathstone is the second Photon spacecraft deployed to orbit, following Photon First Light which launched in August 2020.

PlanGeneralValue 3.5Mar 23, 2021UPDATE: They Go Up So Fast… Rocket Lab Enjoys A Six Smallsat Launch Success…

Photon Pathstone is the second test of Photon following the First Light mission launched in August 2020.

PlanGeneralValue 3.6Mar 22, 2021Rocket Lab launches smallsat rideshare mission

Photon Pathstone is the second Photon spacecraft to be deployed to orbit following the launch of Photon First Light in August 2020.

PlanValue 3.0Feb 14, 2021Rocket Lab to Launch 100th Satellite and Prepare for Moon Mission by Deploying Next-Generation Photon Spacecraft

First Light is Rocket Lab’s first satellite that the company built and designed.

CapabilityGeneralValue 3.0Sep 3, 2020Rocket Lab launches first Photon satellite

First Light was launched as the kick stage of an Electron mission that placed Capella Space’s Sequoia radar imaging satellite into orbit on 2020-08-30.

PlanCapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Sep 3, 2020Rocket Lab launches first Photon satellite

The HARP payload achieved first light in April 2021 and captured its first images in May 2021.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Aug 3, 2020Cubesat demonstrates Earth science instrument