ESA’s European House Company’s (ESA) Cluster mission‘s satellite tv for pc Salsa, which was launched in 2000, is ending its mission after 24 years of finding out Earth’s magnetic area and is all set for a dramatic return to Earth on September 8, 2024.
The mission was initially anticipated to final two years however continued for twenty-four years. Salsa is one member of a four-piece group referred to as Cluster with three different similar satellites, Rumba, Tango, and Samba.
As a part of a fastidiously deliberate operation to forestall area particles, ESA is taking a proactive method to retiring the cluster satellites.Salsa will re-enter the environment over the South Pacific, burning up because it descends from its excessive orbit of 81,250 miles (130,000 km), reflecting ESA’s dedication to accountable area asset administration.
“By finding out how Salsa burns up, which components would possibly survive, for the way lengthy, and in what state, we are going to be taught a lot about methods to construct ‘zero-debris’ satellites,” stated Tim Flohrer, head of ESA’s House Particles Workplace, in an announcement. This cautious monitoring can assist ESA refine designs for future spacecraft to make sure they do not contribute to area particles.
Salsa’s re-entry marks the beginning of this course of for the Cluster satellites. This isn’t ESA’s first try at a “guided re-entry.” ESA’s first guided re-entry occurred final yr with the Aeolus climate satellite tv for pc, which descended from 200 miles to 75 miles earlier than burning up over the Atlantic Ocean. These managed re-entries are a part of ESA’s efforts to cut back area particles.
Rumba is anticipated to observe in 2025, with Tango and Samba re-entering in 2026. These deliberate re-entries are additionally a part of an experiment to see how the similar satellites behave once they re-enter the environment at completely different angles. This may assist ESA enhance its method to soundly bringing down outdated satellites.
What units Salsa’s re-entry aside is its extremely eccentric orbit, which ranges from simply 60 miles (100 km) to over 81,000 miles (130,000 km) above Earth. In January, Salsa executed a manoeuvre that may carry its lowest level of orbit down to only 50 miles (80 km), setting it on track for a fiery descent over a distant a part of the South Pacific later this month.
As ESA continues to information these satellites safely again to Earth, the company is making strides in decreasing area particles and enhancing the security of future missions.
The mission was initially anticipated to final two years however continued for twenty-four years. Salsa is one member of a four-piece group referred to as Cluster with three different similar satellites, Rumba, Tango, and Samba.
As a part of a fastidiously deliberate operation to forestall area particles, ESA is taking a proactive method to retiring the cluster satellites.Salsa will re-enter the environment over the South Pacific, burning up because it descends from its excessive orbit of 81,250 miles (130,000 km), reflecting ESA’s dedication to accountable area asset administration.
“By finding out how Salsa burns up, which components would possibly survive, for the way lengthy, and in what state, we are going to be taught a lot about methods to construct ‘zero-debris’ satellites,” stated Tim Flohrer, head of ESA’s House Particles Workplace, in an announcement. This cautious monitoring can assist ESA refine designs for future spacecraft to make sure they do not contribute to area particles.
Salsa’s re-entry marks the beginning of this course of for the Cluster satellites. This isn’t ESA’s first try at a “guided re-entry.” ESA’s first guided re-entry occurred final yr with the Aeolus climate satellite tv for pc, which descended from 200 miles to 75 miles earlier than burning up over the Atlantic Ocean. These managed re-entries are a part of ESA’s efforts to cut back area particles.
Rumba is anticipated to observe in 2025, with Tango and Samba re-entering in 2026. These deliberate re-entries are additionally a part of an experiment to see how the similar satellites behave once they re-enter the environment at completely different angles. This may assist ESA enhance its method to soundly bringing down outdated satellites.
What units Salsa’s re-entry aside is its extremely eccentric orbit, which ranges from simply 60 miles (100 km) to over 81,000 miles (130,000 km) above Earth. In January, Salsa executed a manoeuvre that may carry its lowest level of orbit down to only 50 miles (80 km), setting it on track for a fiery descent over a distant a part of the South Pacific later this month.
As ESA continues to information these satellites safely again to Earth, the company is making strides in decreasing area particles and enhancing the security of future missions.
