ESA - Swarm - Archive

ESA title

The mission

ESA’s three-satellite Swarm mission is dedicated to unravelling one of the most mysterious aspects of our planet: the magnetic field. Although invisible, the magnetic field and electric currents in and around Earth generate complex forces that have immeasurable impact on everyday life. By analysing the different characteristics of the observed field, Swarm will lead to new insight into many natural processes, from those occurring deep inside the planet to weather in space caused by solar activity.

The launch

Date: 22 November 2013
Site: Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
Launcher: Rockot

1st Explorer constellation
3 identical satellites
1st sensors of their kind

Swarm

Artist's view of Swarm

Swarm dodges collision during climb to escape Sun’s wrath

14/07/2022 27178 views 181 likes

Swarm reveals magnetic waves across Earth’s outer core

Swarm unveils magnetic waves deep down

23/05/2022 10844 views 106 likes

Earth's protective shield

Swarm and Cluster get to the bottom of geomagnetic storms

15/12/2021 7373 views 117 likes

Greater white-fronted geese

Swarm yields new insight into animal migration

09/07/2021 9676 views 118 likes

Sprites seen over the Czech Republic and detected by Swarm

The curious incident of Swarm and sprites in the night-time

18/05/2021 7806 views 161 likes

Magnetic data show links Antarctica to ancient neighbours

Antarctica’s magnetic link to ancient neighbours

09/03/2021 12782 views 143 likes

Energy from solar wind favours the north

Energy from solar wind favours the north

12/01/2021 9974 views 141 likes

Swarm probes weakening of Earth’s magnetic field

20/05/2020 235264 views 717 likes

Swirling iron

Magnetic north and the elongating blob

14/05/2020 29924 views 233 likes

Steve over the picket fence

27/11/2019 10130 views 57 likes

3D Earth in the making

15/05/2019 14725 views 115 likes

Tug-of-war drives magnetic north sprint

15/05/2019 20583 views 211 likes

Simulation of the magnetic field in Earth’s core

Swarm helps explain Earth’s magnetic jerks

01/05/2019 17849 views 266 likes

Cloud-free Europe

New observations for the new economy

08/03/2019 10812 views 90 likes

Magnetic north on the move

Swarm helps pinpoint new magnetic north for smartphones

08/02/2019 15647 views 242 likes

Electric nature

Swarm turns to whistlers and storms

13/04/2018 5573 views 86 likes

Swarm tracks elusive ocean magnetism

10/04/2018 16433 views 116 likes

Steve

Getting to know Steve

16/03/2018 15790 views 181 likes

Swarm trio becomes a quartet

22/02/2018 8761 views 87 likes

Earth's protective shield

Swarm details energetic coupling

15/02/2018 5266 views 83 likes

Meet Steve

When Swarm met Steve

21/04/2017 44474 views 302 likes

Birkeland currents

Supersonic plasma jets discovered

23/03/2017 40102 views 314 likes

Seasonal asymmetry

Swarm detects asymmetry

22/03/2017 6563 views 81 likes

Unravelling Earth’s magnetic field

21/03/2017 42618 views 288 likes

Artist's view of Swarm

Enabling & Support

Anatomy of a debris incident

01/02/2017 10012 views 55 likes

Jet stream in Earth’s core

There’s a jet stream in our core

19/12/2016 43943 views 419 likes

GPS interruptions

Swarm reveals why satellites lose track

28/10/2016 19118 views 232 likes

Magnetic oceans and electric Earth

03/10/2016 17070 views 160 likes

Earth’s magnetic heartbeat

10/05/2016 61836 views 322 likes

Core and crust from Swarm

Magnetic complexity begins to untangle

22/06/2015 16270 views 120 likes

Magnetic field changes

Swarm reveals Earth’s changing magnetism

19/06/2014 135068 views 337 likes

Swarm magnetic field compared to model

Swarm’s precise sense of magnetism

07/05/2014 9733 views 75 likes

Swarm heads for new heights

06/02/2014 8044 views 80 likes

Enabling & Support

End of the beginning for Swarm trio

26/11/2013 7198 views 81 likes

Swarm constellation deploys booms

23/11/2013 7101 views 56 likes

ESA’s Swarm trio on its way to watch over our planet’s magn…

22/11/2013 11111 views 47 likes

Swarm ready for launch

22/11/2013 3412 views 28 likes

Swarm upper composite hoisted to the top of the service tower

Enabling & Support

Swarm launch timeline

21/11/2013 3266 views 10 likes

Swarm mission team in training

Enabling & Support

Swarm mission control ready for triple launch

19/11/2013 6790 views 42 likes

Swarm upper composite hoisted to the top of the service tower

Swarm on the launch pad

18/11/2013 6949 views 65 likes

Separated by a few centimetres

Satellites packed like sardines

08/11/2013 10163 views 61 likes

Three in a row

Swarm launch postponed

30/10/2013 9055 views 63 likes

Three in a row

Magnetic field mission fuelled for launch

16/10/2013 3478 views 43 likes

Swarm arrives in Plesetsk

Preparing to launch Swarm

19/09/2013 6141 views 61 likes

Euronews_Geomag

ESA Euronews: Measuring Earth's vital magnetic field

26/10/2012 1906 views 0 likes

Solar wind entry at low latitudes

Science & Exploration

Earth’s magnetosphere behaves like a sieve

24/10/2012 6823 views 21 likes

Swarm constellation in IABG cleanroom

Swarm constellation heads north

17/02/2012 2406 views 1 likes

Swarm constellation

Enabling & Support

Swarm: magnetic field satellites get their bearings

27/10/2011 4376 views 5 likes

Eurockot to launch Swarm

Eurockot to launch two ESA Earth observation missions

09/04/2010 2436 views 0 likes

Swarm mapping of Earth's crust

Construction of Swarm satellites to begin

08/11/2007 2203 views 1 likes

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