Second Double Star satellite successfully launched


 
Double Star 'Tan Ce 2' 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.
  
 

More about...

 •  Double Star overview (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/120381_index_0_m.html)
 •  Cluster overview (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/120383_index_0_m.html)

Related articles

 •  How the Sun affects us on Earth (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEML7BS1VED_foryou_0.html)
 •  Surfing and diving in the Earth's magnetosphere, Cluster celebrates one year of science excellence in orbit (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/ESAN3D0VMOC_Protecting_0.html)
 •  Cluster's new view of near-Earth space (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/ESA6VTTM5JC_index_0.html)
 •  Solar storm blasts Cluster (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/ESAB7E8VTTC_Protecting_0.html)
 •  ESA's Cluster sees 'squashed' magnetosphere (http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMGZ8WLDMD_exploring_0.html)