On September 8, the European Space Agency (ESA) successfully deorbited the first Cluster satellite, “Salsa,” performing a controlled reentry over the South Pacific to minimize debris risks.

This “targeted reentry” was a first, allowing ESA to precisely control the satellite’s reentry time and location, thanks to its highly elliptical orbit.

The operation is part of ESA’s Zero Debris approach, aiming to eliminate space debris by 2030. Observations from an aircraft near Easter Island provided data to refine satellite breakup models, Space News has reported.

The remaining Cluster satellites—Rumba, Samba, and Tango—are scheduled for similar reentries between October 2025 and August 2026.

Written by B.C. Begley