Isro successfully launches Europe's Proba-3 mission for solar exploration

Originally scheduled for December 4 at 4:08 pm, the Proba-3 launch had to be rescheduled due to an anomaly detected in the satellite's propulsion system

The Indian Space Research Organisation's (Isro) Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) has once again proven its reliability, successfully launching the European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 satellites into their designated orbit. The launch took place today at 4:04 pm from the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh, after a brief postponement due to an 'anomaly' detected in the satellites' systems on the previous day.

 

In its 61st flight, the PSLV rocket undertook a high-profile mission, tasked with deploying a pair of satellites as part of ESA's groundbreaking Proba-3 project. These satellites are designed to simulate a total solar eclipse using precision formation flying in space, a technological first in space exploration.

 

 

Precision formation flying to simulate solar eclipse

 

The Proba-3 mission marks a significant milestone in space exploration. According to Isro, the PSLV rocket successfully deployed the Proba-3 spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit as part of a dedicated commercial mission managed by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm. 

 

The mission aims to demonstrate the advanced technology of precision formation flying, with two mini-satellites— the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC)—flying in tandem.

 

The two satellites, which together weigh 545 kg, were carried into space aboard the 44.5-meter-tall PSLV rocket, which itself weighs 320 tonnes at launch. After a successful lift-off, approximately 18 minutes into the flight, the satellites were deployed at an altitude of 600 km above Earth.

 

Achievement in formation-flying technology

 

The Proba-3 mission is the first in the world to showcase precision formation-flying capabilities at this level. Both satellites will fly in close formation, precisely controlling their attitude and separation. This ability to maintain a fixed formation, as if they were a single rigid structure, enables them to simulate the phenomenon of a total solar eclipse. This mission represents a milestone in space rendezvous and formation-flying technologies, and according to Isro, it is ESA's—and the world's—first precision formation-flying mission.

 

Continued collaboration with the European Space Agency

 

This mission also marks the second ESA satellite launch aboard an Indian rocket. The first, Proba-1, was launched in 2001 using the PSLV. What was initially intended to be a one-year mission has far surpassed its expected lifespan, remaining operational for over two decades. This continued collaboration between Isro and ESA also highlights the growing international trust in India's space capabilities.

 

As the Proba-3 mission progresses, it promises to unlock new insights into space technologies and the study of the Sun's outer atmosphere, further cementing Isro's role as a global leader in space innovation and collaboration.