The three satellites that make up ESA’s Swarm magnetic field mission were presented to the media on 17 February 2012 at the IABG centre in Ottobrunn in Germany. Following a demanding testing programme, the satellites were displayed in the cleanroom before they are shipped to Russia for their July launch.
Swarm will identify and measure the magnetic signals that stem from Earth’s core, mantle, crust, oceans, ionosphere and magnetosphere – all of which create the magnetic field that protects our planet. This information will provide insight into processes occurring deep inside the planet and yield a better understanding of the near-Earth electromagnetic environment and the impact solar wind has on Earth.