Second Double Star satellite successfully launched
26 July 2004
This second Double Star spacecraft will join ‘Tan Ce 1’, the first satellite launched on 29 December 2003 to complete the Double Star mission.
Double Star will operate alongside ESA’s Cluster mission and will study closely the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetic field. Together with Cluster, Double Star will provide the most detailed view of Earth’s magnetosphere ever obtained.
Tan Ce 1 is already returning a wealth of scientific data. In January 2004 it tracked together with Cluster a coronal mass ejection from the Sun and gathered interesting data about the Earth bow shock.
Related links
- Double Star overview
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Double_Star_overview2 - Cluster overview
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Cluster_overview2 - Second Double Star satellite successfully launched
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Exploring_space/Second_Double_Star_satellite_successfully_launched - How the Sun affects us on Earth
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Space_for_you/How_the_Sun_affects_us_on_Earth - Surfing and diving in the Earth's magnetosphere, Cluster celebrates one year of science excellence in orbit
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Cluster/Surfing_and_diving_in_the_Earth_s_magnetosphere_Cluster_celebrates_one_year_of_science_excellence_in_orbit - Cluster's new view of near-Earth space
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Cluster/Cluster_s_new_view_of_near-Earth_space - Solar storm blasts Cluster
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Cluster/Solar_storm_blasts_Cluster - ESA's Cluster sees 'squashed' magnetosphere
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Cluster/ESA_s_Cluster_sees_squashed_magnetosphere