EADS Astrium said Nov. 17 that it received an 86 million euros ($101.04 million) contract from the European Space Agency to build three satellites for the Swarm mission. The three satellites are scheduled for launch in 2010.

The Swarm mission will provide detailed data on the geomagnetic field and its temporal evolution, giving insights into improving knowledge of the Earth’s interior and climate. The mission also will analyze the sun’s influence on the Earth and is expected to help provide better forecasting of radiation hazards in space and improved navigation and exploration for new resources on Earth.