ESA extends missions studying Mars, Venus and Earth’s magnetosphere


Mars Express
 
Artist's impression of Mars Express

Venus Express — lifting the veil on Venus
 
Venus Express
 
Venus Express is studying largely unknown phenomena in the Venusian atmosphere like never before. Its suite of instruments is also digging into the interaction between the solar wind and the planetary environment. In addition, the mission is gathering glimpses of the planet's surface, which is strictly coupled with its dense atmosphere.

Cluster — the Sun-Earth connection in focus
 
Artist's impression of the Cluster constellation
 
Artist's impression of the Cluster constellation.

ESA's mission Cluster consists of four identical spacecraft flying in formation between 19 000 and 119 000 km above the Earth. They study the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere, or the Sun-Earth connection in 3D.



Release date: 7 October 2010