A Soyuz U/Fregat launched two ESA Cluster satellites, Samba and Salsa, from Baikonur Cosmodrome, LC 31, at 12:39 UTC July 16. The two spacecraft were placed into a parking orbit of 240 by 18,000 km. Their final elliptical orbits will range between 25,000 and 125,000 km, inclined at 64.8°. Starsem provided the launch services. The European Space Agency owns and will operate the Cluster constellation. The total mission cost is US$315 million.