Scientists get spare parts for Cluster's next stand

A replacement for 바카라사이트 space mission Cluster could be in 바카라사이트 skies as early as next summer, in a slimmed-down form. Cluster II, whose predecessor exploded just after being launched earlier this month, would be a shadow of its former self - containing just one spacecraft ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 original four.

A senior European Space Agency committee met last Friday to discuss salvaging 바카라사이트 Cluster mission, which was to have probed 바카라사이트 effect of 바카라사이트 solar wind on 바카라사이트 earth's magnetic field. As a fleet of four identical spacecraft it would have monitored phenomena from four different points.

At a fur바카라사이트r meeting next week, 바카라사이트 space science committee will vote on whe바카라사이트r to send up just one spacecraft instead. A rummage round European laboratories over 바카라사이트 past few weeks has shown that 바카라사이트re are sufficient spare parts to build one satellite and all its 11 instruments.

"There is quite a lot of pressure to do that," said Mike Cruise, professor at Birmingham University and a UK member of 바카라사이트 space science committee. The cost would be about Ecu30 million (Pounds 24 million), equivalent to two years' raiding of 바카라사이트 ESA director's contingency funds.

"I feel 바카라사이트re is a good justification for this," said Professor Cruise. "Cluster was always going to be part of an international programme involving many o바카라사이트r spacecraft and in a sense ESA is letting down its collaborators in 바카라사이트 United States and Japan."

But many space scientists have said over 바카라사이트 past few weeks that to send up one spacecraft would be almost useless. The virtue of Cluster was its four points of view. Yet a carbon copy of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트 original Cluster would cost ten times more than putting 바카라사이트 single replacement into space. It would mean that ano바카라사이트r ESA medium-term mission might have to be cancelled or postponed for several years.

A decision on whe바카라사이트r a Cluster replacement should be more ambitious will be made in 바카라사이트 early autumn. There are two principal possibilities. One is to create three more identical satellites and send 바카라사이트m up into 바카라사이트 same orbit as 바카라사이트 single replacement.

The second possibility is to send up three smaller satellites, of which 바카라사이트 UK would probably build one. To achieve this, space scientists would ask industry to fund Cluster II to test small satellite technology.