A Chinese satellite plunged into the Earth's atmosphere and
destroyed itself this week to end an extended mission studying the planet's
magnetic field.
The science satellite, dubbed TC-1, was officially
decommissioned Sunday after lasting three years beyond its planned one-year
mission lifetime. The spacecraft burned up as it reentered the Earth's
atmosphere, according to a mission update.
TC-1, and its counterpart TC-2, were the first satellites
built and operated by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) in
cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA). Together they made up Double
Star, China's first scientific mission, which
used the two spacecraft surveying Earth's magnetic environment and the response
to solar disturbances.
Working
together with the ESA's four Cluster satellites, Double Star discovered
thousands of bubbles of superheated gas where the solar wind strikes the
Earth's magnetic field. The satellites also unexpectedly plowed through
waves of electrical and magnetic energy in the Earth's night-time shadow – the
tail of planet's magnetic cloak – as it oscillates in the same manner of the
wake behind a boat. That data clued scientists into the effects of space
weather on Earth's magnetic field.
"Double
Star has demonstrated mutual benefit and fostered scientific cooperation in
space research between China and Europe. But there is
still much more to come as the full, high-resolution data archive becomes
available," said Philippe Escoubet, project scientist for the ESA's
Cluster and Double Star.
The
satellites also found that chorus emissions – waves naturally generated in
space close to Earth's magnetic equator – are created further away from the
planet during periods of high geomagnetic activity. Such electromagnetic
activity can create what ESA researchers termed "killer electrons," which can
damage sensitive electronic equipment on spacecraft and pose a threat to
astronauts. The information gathered by Double Star allows for better
forecasting of these events.
While
Double Star represented the first joint Chinese-European space mission, China has been
launching satellites since 1970 and launched its first
two manned spaceflights in 2003 and 2005, respectively.
The
country plans to launch its first lunar orbiter, Chang'e 1, in late October
according to state media reports.
advertisement
