The Cluster mission, a collaborative effort between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), is designed to explore the Earth's magnetosphere and the interactions between the solar wind and the planet's magnetic field. Launched in 2000, Cluster involves a constellation of four identical spacecraft, providing a multi-point measurement approach to gather data on the near-Earth space environment.
Cluster's primary mission objectives include studying the dynamic and complex processes within the magnetosphere, such as magnetic reconnection, plasma turbulence, and the effects of solar wind disturbances on the Earth's magnetic field.
By providing a multi-dimensional perspective on these phenomena, Cluster enhances our understanding of space weather and its potential impacts on technological infrastructure, including communication and navigation systems.
