Cluster Salsa & Samba

Overview

Destination: Elliptical Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Elliptical Orbit 31/6 Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Cluster is an magnetospheric research project, consisting of a constellation of four identical satellites. Part of the first Cornerstone Mission in the European Space Agency's long-term space science programme, the Cluster II satellites were built to replace the original Cluster mission, which was aborted after Ariane-5G's maiden flight in June 1996 failed to launch the satellites. The mission's objective is to research the Earth's magnetosphere and its interaction with the solar winds, via four identical satellites flying in formation which take simultaneous measurements to provide the most detailed three-dimensional study of changes and processes taking place in near-Earth space. The four satellites were launched in 2000 on two Soyuz-U Fregat rockets.

Soyuz-U-PVB

Family:
Configuration: U-PVB

A Russian orbital launch vehicle. A version of the Soyuz-U with safety modifications to prevent and resist fires in all stages and the upper stage avionics compartment.

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    51.0 m
  • Diameter
    3.0 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    3.0 m
  • Launch Mass
    313.0 T
  • Thrust
Family
  • Name
    Soyuz-U-PVB
  • Family
  • Variant
    U-PVB
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Soyuz-U-PVB
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
  • Low Earth Orbit
    6900.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Progress Rocket Space Center

Progress Rocket Space Center

(PRSC)

CEO: Dmitry Baranov Founded: 1996 Successes: 44 Failures: 1 Pending: 0

Agency Type:

Progress Rocket Space Centre, formerly known as TsSKB-Progress, is a space science and aerospace research company which is known for manufacturing launch vehicles and satellites. Most notably, Progress Rocket Space Centre is the manufacturer of Soyuz launch vehicles.

INFO WIKI

Related News

ESA

Goodnight, Cluster: brilliant end to trailblazing mission

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.

SpaceNews

ESA performs targeted reentry of Cluster satellite

The European Space Agency successfully deorbited the first of four Cluster space science satellites Sept. 8, performing a first-of-its-kind “targeted reentry” over the South Pacific.

ESA

Cluster reentry explained: world's first targeted reentry

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.

ESA

Watching Salsa’s reentry live from the sky

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

ESA

Cluster mission set to end with reentry over South Pacific

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.

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

31/6


Ceres-1
Failure
21 hours, 36 minutes ago
Jilin-1 High Resolution-04C and others
Launch Area 95A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Earth Observation satellite for the Jilin-1 commercial constellation. Other payloads: * Jilin-1 Platform-02A-04 * Zhongbei University-1


Long March 12
Success
22 hours, 58 minutes ago
SatNet LEO Group 13
Commercial LC-2 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

A batch of Low Earth Orbit communication satellites for the Chinese state owned SatNet constellation operated by the China Satellite Network Group. …


Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 17 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-51
Launch Complex 39A - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Kinetica 1
Success
1 day, 22 hours ago
Chutian-2 01 & 02
Launch Area 130 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

2 satellites built by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) for testing operations of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites f…


Long March 11
Success
2 days, 4 hours ago
Shiyan 32 01-03
Oriental Spaceport mobile launch ship - Sea Launch

3 Chinese satellites reported to be for "orbital technological testing" purposes. Actual usage not known.


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 4 hours ago
Starlink Group 11-14
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
5 days ago
Starlink Group 6-81
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Electron
Success
5 days, 5 hours ago
The Nation God Navigates (iQPS Launch 5)
Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1B - Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand

Synthetic aperture radar Earth observation satellite for Japanese Earth imaging company iQPS.


Ariane 62
Success
6 days, 4 hours ago
Sentinel-1D
Ariane Launch Area 4 - Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Sentinel-1D carries an advanced radar technology to provide an all-weather, day-and-night supply of imagery of Earth’s surface as part of the Sentine…


Long March 7A
Success
1 week ago
Yaogan 46
201 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Classified Earth observation satellite officially reported as for "national resources/hydrology/meteorology surveying & disaster management" purposes.