Cluster satellite Samba reenters Earth's atmosphere over Pacific Ocean
On 31 August 2026 at 21:39:38 UTC, Samba, the third of four Cluster satellites, reentered Earth's atmosphere over the South Pacific Ocean as part of a targeted reentry mission. Its trajectory had been adjusted to allow airborne observation by scientists; reentry time and location were predicted with precision by combining the spacecraft's own data with telescope observations. The ROSIE airborne observation team recorded the reentry with a tracking camera and 29 of 30 instruments on a research aircraft, capturing detailed data on how the satellite broke up and which materials survived. According to Stijn Lemmens, acting Head of Space Debris at ESA, this reentry data will help engineers design satellites that burn up completely on reentry while preventing atmospheric pollution.
