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

Earth’s stormy heart

Insights into Earth’s molten outer core from space

21/05/2026 5386 views 74 likes

High-energy protons during solar storm over the North Pole

Swarm detects rare proton spike during solar storm

11/12/2025 9857 views 79 likes

South Atlantic Anomaly 2025 compared to 2014

Swarm reveals growing weak spot in Earth’s magnetic field

13/10/2025 96463 views 307 likes

Atmospheric hot flush during a solar storm

Swarm in tune with atmospheric hot flushes

27/06/2025 1328 views 36 likes

Swarm detects tidal signatures of our oceans

22/01/2025 4117 views 70 likes

Swarm constellation

Enabling & Support

Swarm vs. space radiation – the first 10 years

10/12/2024 2495 views 37 likes

Steve’s twin captured by an all-sky digital camera

Swarm helps discover Steve's long-lost twin

03/06/2024 20235 views 97 likes

Aurora near Frankfurt, Germany, May 2024

The May 2024 solar storm: your questions answered

17/05/2024 26396 views 65 likes

Solar flare captured by ESA’s Proba-2 SWAP

SMOS and Swarm team up to spot huge solar storm

26/03/2024 23141 views 24 likes

10 remarkable Earth facts

18/04/2023 613999 views 2811 likes

Magnetic field sound waves

The scary sound of Earth’s magnetic field

24/10/2022 142657 views 408 likes

Artist's view of Swarm

Swarm dodges collision during climb to escape Sun’s wrath

14/07/2022 27282 views 181 likes

Swarm reveals magnetic waves across Earth’s outer core

Swarm unveils magnetic waves deep down

23/05/2022 11011 views 107 likes

Earth's protective shield

Swarm and Cluster get to the bottom of geomagnetic storms

15/12/2021 7512 views 118 likes

Greater white-fronted geese

Swarm yields new insight into animal migration

09/07/2021 9801 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 7898 views 162 likes

Magnetic data show links Antarctica to ancient neighbours

Antarctica’s magnetic link to ancient neighbours

09/03/2021 12898 views 143 likes

Energy from solar wind favours the north

Energy from solar wind favours the north

12/01/2021 10086 views 141 likes

Swarm probes weakening of Earth’s magnetic field

20/05/2020 236298 views 718 likes

Swirling iron

Magnetic north and the elongating blob

14/05/2020 30371 views 234 likes

Steve over the picket fence

27/11/2019 10245 views 57 likes

3D Earth in the making

15/05/2019 14787 views 115 likes

Tug-of-war drives magnetic north sprint

15/05/2019 20841 views 211 likes

Simulation of the magnetic field in Earth’s core

Swarm helps explain Earth’s magnetic jerks

01/05/2019 18353 views 268 likes

Cloud-free Europe

New observations for the new economy

08/03/2019 10884 views 90 likes

Magnetic north on the move

Swarm helps pinpoint new magnetic north for smartphones

08/02/2019 15756 views 242 likes

Electric nature

Swarm turns to whistlers and storms

13/04/2018 5622 views 86 likes

Swarm tracks elusive ocean magnetism

10/04/2018 16512 views 116 likes

Steve

Getting to know Steve

16/03/2018 15946 views 181 likes

Swarm trio becomes a quartet

22/02/2018 8851 views 87 likes

Earth's protective shield

Swarm details energetic coupling

15/02/2018 5308 views 83 likes

Meet Steve

When Swarm met Steve

21/04/2017 44702 views 302 likes

Birkeland currents

Supersonic plasma jets discovered

23/03/2017 40210 views 314 likes

Seasonal asymmetry

Swarm detects asymmetry

22/03/2017 6637 views 81 likes

Unravelling Earth’s magnetic field

21/03/2017 42819 views 288 likes

Artist's view of Swarm

Enabling & Support

Anatomy of a debris incident

01/02/2017 10109 views 55 likes

Jet stream in Earth’s core

There’s a jet stream in our core

19/12/2016 44198 views 419 likes

GPS interruptions

Swarm reveals why satellites lose track

28/10/2016 19232 views 232 likes

Magnetic oceans and electric Earth

03/10/2016 17261 views 160 likes

Earth’s magnetic heartbeat

10/05/2016 62475 views 322 likes

Core and crust from Swarm

Magnetic complexity begins to untangle

22/06/2015 16323 views 120 likes

Magnetic field changes

Swarm reveals Earth’s changing magnetism

19/06/2014 135219 views 338 likes

Swarm magnetic field compared to model

Swarm’s precise sense of magnetism

07/05/2014 9780 views 75 likes

Swarm heads for new heights

06/02/2014 8094 views 80 likes

Enabling & Support

End of the beginning for Swarm trio

26/11/2013 7230 views 81 likes

Swarm constellation deploys booms

23/11/2013 7179 views 56 likes

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

22/11/2013 11159 views 47 likes

Swarm ready for launch

22/11/2013 3452 views 28 likes

Swarm upper composite hoisted to the top of the service tower

Enabling & Support

Swarm launch timeline

21/11/2013 3322 views 10 likes

Swarm mission team in training

Enabling & Support

Swarm mission control ready for triple launch

19/11/2013 6834 views 42 likes

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