Debris from 'Cluster' spacecrafts which were lost on the Ariane V flight 501 explosion on 4th June 1996
- Made:
- 1996-1998
- maker:
- European Space Agency
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Debris from 'Cluster' spacecrafts which were lost on the Ariane V flight 501 explosion on 4th June 1996, encased in resin, in blue velvet lined box, by the European Space Agency, 1996-1998
This commemorative cube contains debris from the 'Cluster' spacecrafts which were lost on the Ariane V’s failed maiden flight on 4th June 1996.
The cluster research mission intended to study the Earth's magnetosphere over the course of nearly two solar cycles, with four spacecraft flying in a tetrahedral formation around Earth to study how the Sun’s activity impacts our planet and the space that surrounds us.
The mission eventually did go ahead, with Cluster II spacecrafts launching in July and August 2000. The mission was extended in 2020, with an expected end date at the end of 2022.
