ESA’s Salsa Spacecraft Burns Up in Earth’s Atmosphere, Reducing Space Junk

This morning (September 9) at 1:47 a.m. Thailand time, the Cluster mission’s Salsa spacecraft burned up safely in Earth’s atmosphere, marking a significant milestone in reducing space junk orbiting our planet.

The European Space Agency (ESA) launched the Cluster mission in 2000, consisting of four spacecraft designed to study the Earth’s magnetic field and its interaction with the Sun. Initially intended to operate for two years, the mission was continuously renewed, providing scientists with valuable insights into the solar wind’s influence on the Earth’s magnetic field.

After more than 24 years in orbit, the ESA has begun retiring its four spacecraft, starting with Salsa in January 2024. Bruno Sousa, Cluster mission operations manager, explained, “Adjusting this orbit allows us to achieve optimal control of the vehicle, choosing the point where the spacecraft will crash into the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up.”

The Salsa spacecraft burned up in Earth’s atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean, marking the first time a spacecraft has been returned to burn up in a pre-determined location. This controlled burn helps reduce the risk of collisions with other objects in space, which could impact space exploration or daily life on Earth.

The ESA has also completed the retirement of three more spacecraft from the Cluster mission, preparing them for re-burning in Earth’s atmosphere. The Rumba spacecraft is scheduled to return to Earth in November 2025, followed by the Samba and Tango spacecraft in August 2026.

A team of scientists observed the Salsa spacecraft’s return to Earth, studying its atmospheric burning and detecting debris that may have survived temperatures of thousands of degrees Celsius using over 20 measuring devices. This data will help develop more environmentally friendly spacecraft and ensure the safe return of future missions.