ESA Cluster mission concludes with Tango spacecraft reentry

The European Space Agency (ESA) is concluding its Cluster mission with the controlled atmospheric reentry of its final spacecraft, Tango. Tango is scheduled to reenter the atmosphere over a remote area of the South Pacific Ocean on September 1 at approximately 21:30:31 UTC.

This reentry follows the recent disposal of the Samba spacecraft on August 31. Both events are part of a coordinated effort to collect high-resolution data on how spacecraft interact with the upper atmosphere during destruction. To facilitate this, the ROSIE airborne observation campaign, operating from Tonga, is utilizing specialized instruments to monitor the reentry process.

The data gathered from these final passages is intended to refine reentry models, helping to improve end-of-life management for future satellites and reducing potential risks to people and infrastructure on Earth.