ESA's Cluster Mission: Salsa’s last dance targets reentry over South Pacific [updated]

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Salsa’s last dance targets reentry over South Pacific

Quote

In brief

ESA’s Cluster mission, which has spent 24 years revealing the secrets of Earth’s magnetic environment, is coming to an end.

The first of the four satellites in the Cluster quartet, named ‘Salsa’, will reenter Earth’s atmosphere in September 2024.

This month, spacecraft operators carried out a series of manoeuvres to ensure this reentry will take place over a sparsely populated region in the South Pacific.

The end of the Cluster mission offers a rare chance to study the safe atmospheric reentry of four identical satellites under different conditions.

Read More: ➡️ ESA

 

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Cluster mission set to end with reentry over South Pacific

Quote

On 8 September 2024, the first of four satellites that make up ESA’s Cluster mission will reenter Earth’s atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean Uninhabited Area.

This marks the end of the historic mission, over 24 years after it was sent into space to measure Earth’s magnetic environment. Though the remaining three satellites will also stop making scientific observations, discoveries using existing mission data are expected for years to come.

Read More: ➡️ ESA

 

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Watching Salsa’s reentry live from the sky

Quote

On 8 September 2024, the first of four Cluster satellites will return home and burn up in Earth’s atmosphere in an uncontrolled ‘targeted reentry’ over a remote area of the South Pacific Ocean. 

In the nearly 70 years of spaceflight about 10 000 intact satellites and rocket bodies have reentered the atmosphere. Yet we still lack a clear view on what actually happens during a reentry. 

Read More: ➡️ ESA

 

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Cluster’s Salsa satellite primed to reenter and break up

 

[Waspie_Dwarf]

 

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Goodnight, Cluster: brilliant end to trailblazing mission

Quote

The first satellite in ESA’s Cluster quartet safely came back down to Earth last night in a world-first ‘targeted reentry’, marking a brilliant end to this remarkable mission.

The spacecraft, dubbed ‘Salsa’ (Cluster 2), reentered Earth’s atmosphere at 20:47 CEST on 8 September 2024 over the South Pacific Ocean. In this region, any risk of fragments reaching land are absolutely minimised.

Read More: ➡️ ESA