This segment covers the period from 11 September 2020 to 06 December 2020 (after the eclipse season) and has 135-140% data volume as a baseline, however in some orbits the data rate can be increased above the baseline value.

The preliminary date for the payload to be switched on after the eclipse on all spacecraft is 13/09/2020 09:02, the exact date TBD.

There are manoeuvres on 22/09/2020 on C3, C1 and C2; on 01/10/2020 on C3 and C2; on 02/11/2020 on C3; on 13/11/2020 on C3, C1 and C2; on 22/11/2020 on C3 and C2; and on 01/12/2020 on C2 and C3. For more information ​http://jsocwiki.rl.ac.uk/attachment/wiki/WikiStart/manoeuvres_may2020_dec2020.pdf.

Cluster crosses the neutral sheet until early November and starts to cross magnetopause from 17/19 November 2020 (SC1/SC2) and from 26/11/2020 (SC3/SC4). Primary science targets are neutral sheet, the ECS GI programme on sub-ion magnetic holes in the plasma sheet, skimming magnetopause, and the ECS GI programme on the Cluster/MMS magnetopause conjunctions.