Swarm Mission

IdentifierswarmNamesEarth's Magnetic Field and Environment ExplorersSwarm About identifiers

Objectives and Applications

The SWARM three-satellite constellation provides the best ever survey of the geomagnetic field and its temporal evolution to gain new insights into improving our knowledge of the Earth’s interior and climate. It creates a highly detailed survey of the Earth's geomagnetic field as well as the electric field in the atmosphere, by using a satellite constellation that carries sophisticated magnetometers and other instruments.

Mission Summary

Full Name
Earth's Magnetic Field and Environment Explorers
Mission Status
Operational (extended)
Mission Agencies
ESA, CNES, CSA
Launch Date
22 Nov 2013
Mission Links
mission site | data access portal
EOL Date
Mar 2029
EO Portal Info

Orbit Details

Orbit Type
Inclined, non-sun-synchronous
Orbit Period
Orbit Sense
N/A
Orbit Inclination
87.75 deg
Orbit Altitude
462 km
Orbit Longitude
Orbit LST
Repeat Cycle
NORAD Catalog #s
39451, 39452, 39453
International Designators
2013-067A, 2013-067B, 2013-067C

Mission Instruments

ACC - Accelerometer swarm_acc
ASM - Absolute Scalar Magnetometer swarm_asm
EFI - Electric Field Instrument swarm_efi
GPS Receiver (Swarm) - Global Positioning System (GPS) Receiver (Swarm) swarm_gps-receiver-swarm
Laser Reflectors (ESA) - Laser Reflectors swarm_laser-reflectors-esa
STR - Star Tracker Set (3) swarm_str
VFM - Vector Field Magnetometer swarm_vfm

Mission Measurements

CategoryParameterInstrument(s)
Gravity and Magnetic FieldsGravity, Magnetic and Geodynamic measurements ACC, ASM, EFI, GPS Receiver (Swarm), Laser Reflectors (ESA), STR, VFM
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