Cluster
Spacecraft · Europe
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Credit: Manufacturer Image
European earth magnetosphere satellite. The Cluster satellites were a series of sophisticated earth-observation platforms that were to be launched aboard the first Ariane 5. Magnetospheric Research satellite built by Dornier (#1 - 4), Astrium (#5 - 8) for ESA, Europe. Launched 1996 - 2000.
The explosion of the booster led to a costly setback for European space science. There were no back-up spacecraft. Some instruments may fly on other future satellites.
More at: Cluster.
Related
- Family
- Earth, Magnetosphere sat
- Country
- Europe
- Engines
- S400
- Launch Sites
- Kourou, Kourou ELA3
Chronology
1 event
1996 June 4
12:34 GMT - . Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Complex: Kourou ELA3. LV Family: Ariane 5. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5G. FAILURE: Vehicle went off course and was destroyed by range safety. Reuse of flight software from Ariane 4 was the cause (faulty program logic that only took effect on Ariane 5 launch trajectory).. Failed Stage: G.- Cluster F1 - .
Nation: Europe.
Agency: ESA.
Class: Earth.
Type: Magnetosphere satellite. Spacecraft: Cluster.
The Cluster satellites were a series of sophisticated earth-observation platforms that were to be launched aboard the first Ariane 5. The explosion of the booster led to a costly setback for European space science. There were no back-up spacecraft. Some instruments may fly on other future satellites.
- Cluster F2 - . Nation: Europe. Agency: ESA. Class: Earth. Type: Magnetosphere satellite. Spacecraft: Cluster.