ESA's Cluster 2 is a replacement for the original Cluster mission, which was lost during the first test flight of Ariane 5 in June 1996. The four spacecraft, flying in formation between 19000 and 119000km above the Earth, will study the interaction between solar wind and the Earth's atmosphere in deep detail, to obtain three-dimensional measurements of phenomena which occur in the immediate surroundings of our planet.
The four spacecraft will be launched in pairs by two Soyuz launch vehicles in mid-2000. Mission control will be performed by ESA/ESOC European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany. For at least two years the instruments on board the Cluster spacecraft will provide European scientists with insights into the influence of the Sun on our planet's environment.
This video contains background footage on the Cluster 2 satellite and its preparation for launch in 2000. Contents are as follows:
3-D graphics on Cluster mission, the fleet of four spacecraft and the solar wind.
G/Vs' of the preparati

begin
00:58:50:00 esa logo
01:00:01:00 esa opening titles
01:00:33:00 title: Roll-out of Cluster 2
01:00:43:00 contents
01:00:53:00 3-D graphics on Cluster fleet and the solar wind
01:02:05:00 title: Preparation of Cluster 2 satellites for roll-out
to the media
01:02:14:00 var s' preparation of satellites at IABG, Ottobrunn
01:03:25:07 title: Final assembly and integration work
01:03:35:00 var s' IABG final assembly and integration
01:05:18:00 title: Launch of Soyuz launcher
01:05:28:00 mls to ts Soyuz lift off
01:05:56:00 end