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Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)Soyuz-U-PVB31/6, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
Cluster Salsa & Samba
Launched
July 16, 2000
Summary
Cluster Salsa & Samba launched on a Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) Soyuz-U-PVB from 31/6, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan on July 16, 2000. It was Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)'s 103rd launch, 8th this year and humanity's 4,410th orbital launch attempt. It was the 57th Soyuz-U-PVB flight and the 4th this year. The payload was bound for Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical). Cluster Samba, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 257 × 18,080 km orbit inclined 64.7°. 3 objects from this launch are catalogued, 2 of them payloads.
- Watch
- No webcast on record.
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Earth Science · Elliptical Orbit (Elliptical)
- Milestone
- 57th Soyuz-U-PVB flight · 4th this yearRussian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)'s 103rd launch8th this yearhumanity's 4,410th orbital launch attempt43rd orbital launch attempt this year
Flight preview
Orbit: as tracked
Cluster Samba · NORAD 26410 · 2000-041 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 3 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- CLUSTER II-FM6
- Object ID
- 2000-041A
- Epoch
- 2000-07-16 14:00:28 UTC
- Mean motion
- 4.48173077 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.5734455
- Inclination
- 64.6828°
- Ascending node
- 160.2057°
- Arg. of perigee
- 0.9504°
- Mean anomaly
- 359.6788°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 3
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: Elliptical. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
3 catalogued: 2 payloads, 1 rocket stage; none still in orbit
- Cluster Samba · NORAD 26410 · re-entered August 31, 2026
- Cluster Salsa · NORAD 26411 · re-entered September 8, 2024
Fregat No. 1003 · deorbited July 16, 2000
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Cluster is an magnetospheric research project, consisting of a constellation of four identical satellites. Part of the first Cornerstone Mission in the European Space Agency's long-term space science programme, the Cluster II satellites were built to replace the original Cluster mission, which was aborted after Ariane-5G's maiden flight in June 1996 failed to launch the satellites. The mission's objective is to research the Earth's magnetosphere and its interaction with the solar winds, via four identical satellites flying in formation which take simultaneous measurements to provide the most detailed three-dimensional study of changes and processes taking place in near-Earth space. The four satellites were launched in 2000 on two Soyuz-U Fregat rockets.
News
Samba’s fiery farewell recordedYesterday, on 31 August 2026, Samba reentered Earth’s atmosphere at 21:39:38 UTC / 23:39:38 CEST as the third of the four Cluster satellites. Samba had been lined up for a special 'targeted reentry' safely over the South Pacific Ocean, the precision so high that a plane could fly out from Tonga and successfully record its demise for reentry science.
Observing Samba and Tango’s reentriesThe final two of ESA's pioneering Cluster spacecraft, Samba and Tango, will end their journeys as they burn up in our atmosphere on 31 August and 1 September respectively. Their targeted reentries mark the end of a mission that has transformed our understanding of Earth's magnetic environment. The final moments also offer a rare scientific opportunity for reentry observations from a plane.
Pad
31/6, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
328th launch from 31/6, 3rd this year · 1,156th from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
430 launches from this pad · 1,565 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
117 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of KazakhstanOpen in maps
Questions
When did Cluster Salsa & Samba launch?
Cluster Salsa & Samba launched on July 16, 2000. The time is known to the hour, not the minute.
Where can I watch Cluster Salsa & Samba?
No webcast is on record for this launch.
What rocket launched Cluster Salsa & Samba?
Soyuz-U-PVB, flown by Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS). Soyuz-U-PVB spec sheet
Where did Cluster Salsa & Samba launch from?
31/6, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan.
What orbit did Cluster Salsa & Samba reach?
Cluster Samba, one of 3 catalogued objects, reached a 257 × 18,080 km orbit inclined 64.7°.
How many satellites did Cluster Salsa & Samba launch?
2 payloads from this launch are catalogued, none of them still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).