14 DAY TRIAL // The Swarm constellation of satellites is currently well on its way towards its final position in space, in a geocentric polar orbit a few hundred kilometers above Earth's surface. A series of intricate thruster burns is currently being conducted to insert the three vehicles into their proper orbits.
Swarm A and B will fly less than 460 kilometers (290 miles) above the surface, while Swarm C will occupy a slightly higher orbital perch, at 530 kilometers (330 miles). The spacecraft, manufactured by Astrium, launched into space aboard a Rokot/Briz-KM delivery system from Site 133/3 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, in Russia, on November 22, 2013.
The purpose of the satellite trio is to investigate Earth's magnetic field in unprecedented detail. Over the past two months, mission controllers at the European Space Agency have conducted a series of testing and commissioning assessments, making sure that all instruments are online before the vehicles reach their intended positions.
“We are taking the satellites to their new heights through careful thrust and aim to achieve the constellation for science operations around mid-April,” says ESA Swarm systems engineer Ralf Bock. “We are also continuing to fine-tune the satellite sensors, such as the new electric field instrument,” adds system manager Karim Bouridah, also from ESA.