{"id":788631,"date":"2024-09-09T11:43:53","date_gmt":"2024-09-09T16:43:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=788631"},"modified":"2024-09-09T11:43:53","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T16:43:53","slug":"cluster-reentry-explained-worlds-first-targeted-reentry-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=788631","title":{"rendered":"Cluster reentry explained\u2014world’s first targeted reentry"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Credit: European Space Agency
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The first of four satellites that make up ESA’s Cluster mission is coming safely back down to Earth, marking a brilliant end to this remarkable mission.<\/p>\n

The satellite’s orbit was tweaked back in January to target a region as far as possible from populated regions. This ensures that any spacecraft parts that survive the reentry will fall over open ocean.<\/p>\n

During 24 years in space, Cluster has sent back precious data on how the sun interacts with Earth’s magnetic field, helping us better understand and forecast potentially dangerous space weather.<\/p>\n

With this first ever targeted reentry, Cluster goes down in history for a different reason, taking ESA well beyond international space safety standards and helping ensure the long-term sustainability of space activities.<\/p>\n

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