The Cluster satellites were a series of sophisticated earth-observation platforms that were to be launched aboard the first Ariane 5. The explosion of the booster led to a costly setback for European space science. There were no back-up spacecraft. Some instruments may fly on other future satellites.

Associated Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5G.

• 1996 June 4 - Cluster F1 - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5G. FAILURE: Vehicle went off course and was destroyed by range safety. Reuse of flight software from Ariane 4 was the cause (faulty program logic that only took effect on Ariane 5 launch trajectory).

  The Cluster satellites were a series of sophisticated earth-observation platforms that were to be launched aboard the first Ariane 5. The explosion of the booster led to a costly setback for European space science. There were no back-up spacecraft. Some instruments may fly on other future satellites.

• 1996 June 4 - Cluster F2 - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5G. FAILURE: Vehicle went off course and was destroyed by range safety. Reuse of flight software from Ariane 4 was the cause (faulty program logic that only took effect on Ariane 5 launch trajectory).

• 1996 June 4 - Cluster F3 - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5G. FAILURE: Vehicle went off course and was destroyed by range safety. Reuse of flight software from Ariane 4 was the cause (faulty program logic that only took effect on Ariane 5 launch trajectory).

• 1996 June 4 - Cluster F4 - Launch Site: Kourou. Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5G. FAILURE: Vehicle went off course and was destroyed by range safety. Reuse of flight software from Ariane 4 was the cause (faulty program logic that only took effect on Ariane 5 launch trajectory).

• NASA Report, .

• NASA Report, Cluster Fact Sheet, . Accessed at: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/spacesci/image/factsheet.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• NASA Report, Cluster-II: Scientific Objectives and Data, . Accessed at: http://esapub.esrin.esa.it/bulletin/bullet102/Warhaut102.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• NASA Report, Cluster II Mission-Rising from the Ashes, . Accessed at: http://esapub.esrin.esa.it/bulletin/bullet102/Cluster102.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• NASA Report, Cluster II, . Accessed at: http://www.esa.int/esapub/br/br149/br149.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Report (Internet Newsletter), Harvard University, Weekly, 1989 to Present. Essential internet newsletter recording worldwide weekly space events. Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• NASA Report, Fact Sheet Cluster II Spacecraft to Explore Earth's Turbulent Magnetic Environs, . Accessed at: ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/presskit/2000/cluster_presskit.pdf. -right click to download pdfs!