Satellite constellation trying to understand the Earth’s magnetic field

Swarm is ESA’s mission to understand the Earth’s magnetic field. It is a constellation of three SWARM satellites designed to identify and measure precisely the different magnetic signals that emanate from our planet. This will provide insight into the natural processes occurring deep within the planet, to weather in space caused by solar activity.

Our ‘protective bubble’ that Earth’s magnetic field, is in a constant state of flux. The strength of the magnetic field is constantly changing – in fact currently it shows signs of significant weakening.

Swarm was launched in 2013, and precisely measures the magnetic signals that originate in Earth’s core, crust and oceans, as well as from the ionosphere and magnetosphere, giving us a better understand of why the field is weakening.