MilestoneSeptember 1, 2026
ESA records targeted atmospheric reentry of Cluster satellite Samba
The third of four Cluster satellites executed a controlled reentry over the South Pacific Ocean, captured by airborne scientific observers.
The European Space Agency's Samba satellite reentered Earth's atmosphere on August 31, 2026, ending its operational life. Samba was the third spacecraft in ESA's four-satellite Cluster constellation to undergo a targeted reentry.
Engineers guided the satellite to burn up safely over a remote stretch of the South Pacific Ocean. The reentry occurred with high precision, allowing an observation aircraft deployed from Tonga to record the event for atmospheric and space debris science.