Cluster Mission Ends with Controlled Re‑entry
On 1 September 2024 at 23:30:31 CEST, the Tango satellite, part of the Cluster constellation, entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up. This maneuver marked the formal end of the multi‑year mission that was originally launched to study Earth’s magnetosphere.
Rather than treating the end as a mere conclusion, operators used the re‑entry as a chance for a targeted data‑collection campaign. Four pre‑planned descents demonstrated that the procedure is a safe and environmentally friendly way to retire satellites.
A research team aboard a specially equipped aircraft tracked the re‑entry from close range, gathering measurements of temperature, pressure and material breakup. The resulting dataset is unique because it records several similar descents under comparable conditions.
The insights gained should aid engineers in designing more robust and sustainable spacecraft. By analysing the data, they can better predict how components behave during re‑entry and select materials that produce less debris.