Cluster reentry data to guide safer satellite design
phys.org —
The Cluster mission's final satellite, Tango, reentered Earth's atmosphere on Sept. 1 at 11:30:31 p.m. CEST, concluding a data-collection campaign aimed at improving satellite design safety and sustainability. The reentry followed four targeted disposals, establishing a proven method for safe end-of-life procedures. Scientists observed the event from a plane with 29 instruments, capturing about 50 seconds of tracking data to better understand the destructive reentry process. This unique dataset will refine reentry models and inform future satellite designs. ESA's upcoming Draco mission in 2027 will record reentry from inside a satellite, further enhancing predictions of debris impact and atmospheric effects.