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Cluster formation

In June last year when the Cluster mission was blown up because of a faulty launcher, most people thought that it was the end of the mission. But now the European Space Agency's Space Science Advisory Committee has recommended that the mission be reflown. All four of the mission's satellites, which were designed to fly together, for gathering information about the earths' magnetosphere were blown up. Now a reserve satellite called Phoenix will form the core of the new mission. The mission will, however, have to wait till the three other satellites are manufactured ( Science , Vol 274, No 5291). <

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