Rockot launch tower at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome

The launch tower at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome on 18 November, 2013.

ESA’s Swarm mission is ready for launch on a Russian Rockot on 22 November at 12:02 GMT (13:02 CET), from the Plesetsk cosmodrome. The three-satellite Swarm mission aims to unravel one of the most mysterious aspects of our planet: the magnetic field.

Swarm is ESA’s fourth Earth Explorer mission, following GOCE, SMOS and CryoSat.