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On September 8, the European Space Agency (ESA) will witness a rare event as the first of four Cluster satellites, named “Salsa”, re-enters Earth’s atmosphere. This satellite, launched as part of ESA’s Cluster mission, will burn up in an uncontrolled yet targeted reentry over a remote part of the South Pacific Ocean. The event presents a unique opportunity for scientists to observe and gather critical data on satellite reentry, contributing to safer and more sustainable practices in future space missions.

Understanding Satellite Reentry

According to a report by ESA, in nearly 70 years of space exploration, about 10,000 intact satellites and rocket bodies have reentered Earth’s atmosphere. Despite this, scientists still have limited understanding of the exact dynamics that occur during reentry. To bridge this knowledge gap, ESA, in collaboration with Astros Solutions, will conduct an airborne observation experiment during Salsa’s reentry.

A team of scientists aboard a small plane will attempt to collect data on the satellite’s breakup process, which will be invaluable for designing and operating future satellites to ensure they can be safely and efficiently disposed of after their missions.

The Importance of Salsa’s Reentry

According to Holger Krag, Head of Space Safety at ESA, understanding reentry dynamics is crucial for maintaining clean and safe orbital paths around Earth. He explains that the quick removal of defunct satellites is vital to prevent space debris accumulation. The reentry of the Cluster satellites, starting with Salsa, offers a repeatable experiment due to the nearly identical conditions under which each satellite will reenter the atmosphere. This scenario allows scientists to observe and compare the outcomes of different reentry angles and conditions, providing insights that will inform the design of future missions.

Targeting the South Pacific Ocean

In January, Salsa’s orbit was adjusted to ensure that its reentry would occur over one of the most remote regions on Earth, the South Pacific Ocean. Bruno Sousa, Cluster Operations Manager, notes that Salsa’s orbit brings it close to Earth every 12 years. This year’s close approach allowed for a targeted reentry, with the spacecraft’s trajectory adjusted to ensure that any surviving fragments fall into open waters, minimizing the risk to populated areas.

Preparing for the Airborne Observation

The airborne observation mission, known as ROSIE-Salsa, involves a joint effort from academic institutions such as the University of Stuttgart and the University of Southern Queensland, alongside industrial partners like Hypersonic Technology Göttingen and Astros Solutions. Led by Jiří Silha, CEO of Astros Solutions, the mission aims to capture real-time data during Salsa’s reentry.

The plane will be equipped with over 20 scientific instruments, including cameras and spectrographs, to observe the satellite’s breakup and record detailed information. Despite the challenges posed by the reentry’s unpredictable nature and the remote location, the team is prepared to gather critical data that could enhance future satellite reentry predictions.

Looking Ahead

Salsa’s reentry marks the beginning of a series of controlled reentries for the remaining Cluster satellites, with the last one scheduled for 2026. ESA’s commitment to reducing space debris is further demonstrated by its Zero Debris approach, which aims to eliminate the creation of space debris by 2030.

In addition to the Cluster mission, ESA is also planning the DRACO mission, which will involve an actively controlled reentry of a satellite equipped with a “black box” to provide telemetry data from within. If successful, this mission could set a new standard for satellite reentry observations and contribute significantly to the safe and sustainable use of space.

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SpaceX Successfully Launches 23 Starlink Satellites on Brand-New Falcon 9 Rocket

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SpaceX Successfully Launches 23 Starlink Satellites on Brand-New Falcon 9 Rocket

SpaceX marked its 60th Falcon 9 flight of 2025 by successfully launching a brand-new Falcon 9 booster rocket on the 20th of May. This rocket carries 23 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit. Among those, 13 feature Direct to Cell capabilities. Originally, it was targeting 11:58 p.m. EDT on May 19 (0358 UTC on May 20) for the launch, but that try was aborted just before liftoff, for reasons that the company did not immediately explain. It was finally launched on Tuesday (May 20) at 11:19 p.m. EDT (0319 GMT on May 21) from the Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

About the launch

According to SpaceX’s mission overview, this was the first-ever launch for this particular Falcon 9’s (booster B1095) first stage. While most recent SpaceX missions have reused Falcon 9 boosters , a signature part of the company’s cost-saving and sustainability strategy ,Tuesday’s flight featured a rare first-stage debut.

The rocket successfully completed its initial mission, separating from the upper stage around two and a half minutes after liftoff. About eight minutes later, the booster made a precise landing on the SpaceX drone ship “Just Read the Instructions,” stationed in the Atlantic Ocean. This smooth recovery sets the stage for future reusability of the rocket.

Technical Advancement

Of the 23 satellites onboard, 13 were outfitted with direct-to-cell technology — a feature designed to enable satellite connectivity directly to mobile phones, especially in areas lacking terrestrial infrastructure. After reaching space, the rocket’s second stage performed a short engine burn to circularize the orbit before deploying the satellites about 65 minutes after launch.

Starlink is the largest satellite megaconstellation ever constructed, consisting of about 7,500 operational satellites at the moment. And that number is growing all the time, as Tuesday’s action shows.

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Polaris Wasn’t Always the North Star: How Earth’s Wobble Shifts the Celestial Pole

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Polaris Wasn’t Always the North Star: How Earth’s Wobble Shifts the Celestial Pole

Polaris has been the constant guide for explorers and navigators in the northern hemisphere for thousands of years, hence its other name, the famous North Star. It is significant where it is located near the north rotational axis of Earth, and the whole sky appears to spin about it. But that’s not always been the case, and it won’t always be the case. The planet’s sluggish axial wobble, called precession, makes the pole trace a circle about every 26,000 years, bringing different stars into view over the ages.

How Earth’s 26,000-Year Axial Precession Shifts the North Star Over Time

As per NASA, gravitational forces from the sun and moon affect the rotation of Earth; these produce a bulge at the equator and axial precession. Every 26,000 years or so, this wobble makes a complete circle, and it makes the celestial pole move on a cycle, pointing to stars in sequence over time. Thuban, in the star constellation Draco, was the closest visible in the sky to the celestial pole some 4,700 years ago. The stars, such as Kochab and Pherkad, were the nearest to the pole about 3,000 years ago. Polaris now has the title, but not for very long.

The axis of the Earth will eventually change again, bringing new stars into prominence. In about 2,200 years, Errai in the constellation Cepheus will become the North Star. Alderamin, likewise in Cepheus, will have its turn some 5,000 years from now. Deneb, who will approach the pole once more about 9,800 CE, and Vega, a former pole star, returning in roughly 12,000 years, complete this cycle.
Many of these stars fit identifiable constellations, including Cepheus, Draco, and Ursa Minor. Modern stargazing apps incorporating augmented reality for nighttime sky navigation allow amateur astronomers to trace their positions.

As Polaris continues to shine overhead today, its reign is only temporary. Earth’s steady 26,000-year precessional cycle guarantees that other stars will eventually take its place, proving that even in the cosmos, change is constant.

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Scientists Warn of Inadequate Solar Storm Forecasting: What You Need to Know

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Scientists Warn of Inadequate Solar Storm Forecasting: What You Need to Know

Imagine being told a storm is approaching, but you won’t know how dangerous it truly is until minutes before impact. That’s the reality scientists face with solar storms. Although scientists have improved our ability to monitor coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun and project their arrival at Earth, the most important consideration — the orientation of the storm’s magnetic field — remains unknown until the very last minute. This direction, referred to as the Bz component, decides whether the CME will pass by with little influence or cause disturbances to satellites, electricity grids, and GPS systems.

Lack of Early Bz Data Leaves Earth Vulnerable to Solar Storms, Scientists Urge Wider Sun Coverage

As per a report on Space.com, solar physicist Valentín Martínez Pillet emphasised that knowing the Bz value earlier could dramatically improve our ability to prepare. Currently, spacecraft like NASA’s ACE and DSCOVR detect Bz only when the CME reaches Lagrange Point 1 (L1), giving us just 15 to 60 minutes’ warning. Martínez Pillet predicts it could take 50 years to achieve the forecasting precision we have for Earth’s weather unless we expand our view of the Sun with new satellites placed at Lagrange points L4, L5, and L3.

Despite having the scientific models needed, Martínez Pillet argues we lack vital real-time data from different solar perspectives. Most observations currently come from a single vantage point — L1, which limits our predictive ability. Missions like ESA’s upcoming Vigil, scheduled for launch in 2031 to L5, aim to fill this gap by detecting the CME’s shape and magnetic orientation from the side, potentially giving up to a week’s notice.

But decades may be too long to wait. History reminds us of the danger: the 1859 Carrington Event caused telegraph failures, and a near miss in 2012 could have caused trillions in damage if it had struck Earth. In a 2013 paper, Dan Baker of LASP warned that a direct hit would have left the modern world technologically crippled.

Today, tools like the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) and DSCOVR offer continuous solar monitoring, but their limitations emphasise the need to provide broader coverage. “The Sun isn’t changing,” Martínez Pillet said. “It’s our dependence on technology that’s made us more vulnerable.” Until we build the infrastructure to see solar storms before they hit, we may remain dangerously exposed.

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