The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Cluster -ESA's mission to study space weather - suffered a major setback in in 1996, when the four spacecraft were destroyed in the unsuccessful first launch of Ariane 5. Three years on, the Cluster satellites are once again ready for flight into orbit, and will be launched using two Russian Soyuz rockets in mid 2000.
This index covers background material on the Cluster mission, and is arranged as follows: 3-D graphics Cluster mission [including animation of the Earth's magnetic field], gvs' preparation of four Cluster 2 satellites, final assembly/ integration work on one Cluster 2 spacecraft, Soyuz launch from the Baikonur cosmodrome, presentation Cluster 1 from 1995 [English V/O, Cluster 1 development and integration graphics, images Ariane 501 failure and recovery of Cluster debris, Ariane 501 post-failure conference, graphic-annotated explanation of failure.
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