Cluster FM1-4

Europe / ESA

International Sat. nº:

ESA spacecraft nº: 35

European scientific program. The 4 satellites composing it were lost on Ariane 5's maiden flight.

Launch data:

Designation	96F03
Launch date	04 Jun 1996 - 12:34 UT
Launch site	Ko, ELA-3
Launch vehicle	Ariane-5G (V88)
Mission	Scientific: Sun study

Launch failure, explosion at T+30 sec.

Specifications

Prime contractor	Dornier
Platform
Operator	ESA
Mass at launch	1200 kg
Payload mass	72 kg
Propellant mass	650 kg
Dry mass	550 kg
Basic shape	Cylinder
Diameter	2.9 m
Height	1.3 m
Solar array	None, Solar cells
Stabilization	spin stabilized (15 rpm)
DC power	EOL: 224 W (80 Ah silver cadmium batteries)
Payload power	47 W
Design lifetime	2 years
Telemetry	2-262 kbps

Tape recorder capacity: 1 gbit The final orbit was to be 25000/140000 km

Frequencies

Cluster 1	2242.000 MHz
Cluster 2	2249.000 MHz
Cluster 3	2277.000 MHz
Cluster 4	2270.000 MHz

Description:

Cluster is an magnetospheric research project, consisting of a constellation of four identical satellites. Part of the first Cornerstone Mission in the European Space Agency's long-term space science programme.

Payload:

STAFF ( Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Field Fluctuations)
EFW (Electric Fields and Waves)
WHISPER (Waves of High frequency and Sounder for probing of density by Relaxation)
WBD (Wide Band Data)
DWP (Digital Wave Processor)
FGM (Fluxgate Magnetometer)
EDI (Electronic Drift Instrument)
CIS (Cluster Ion Spectrometry)
PEACE (Plasma Electron And Current Analyser)
RAPID (Research with Adaptive Particle Imaging Detectors)
ASPOC (Active Spacecraft Potential Control)

Ref.: #15, #113 - update: 10.08.05

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