2 August

2000: In August 2000, the second pair of ESA’s Cluster spacecraft was being prepared for launch at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

On the 2 August 2000, the spacecraft were transferred with their Soyuz-Fregat launcher and fairing assembly from the Energia building to the MIK40 building close to the launch pad. The final assembly of the launcher, including its payload, would take place in this building.

Cluster is a collection of four spacecraft flying in formation around Earth. They relay the most detailed ever information about how the solar wind affects our planet in three dimensions. The solar wind (the perpetual stream of subatomic particles given out by the Sun) can damage communications satellites and power stations on Earth. The operation life-time of the Cluster mission runs from February 2001 and December 2005.