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Proba-3 Mission
Context:
The PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 mission, originally scheduled for launch on December 4, 2024, has been rescheduled to December 5, 2024, following an anomaly detected in the spacecraft.
Mission Details:
- The Proba-3 mission, a collaboration between ISRO and the European Space Agency (ESA), aims to demonstrate precise formation flying in space.
- The mission involves two satellites, the Coronagraph (310 kg) and the Occulter (240 kg), flying together in a highly elliptical orbit. The Coronagraph will study the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, by blocking the solar disk with the Occulter.
- The mission will carry ESA’s Proba-3 satellites, weighing 550 kg, into a highly elliptical orbit.
- The PSLV-C59 mission is the 61st flight of the PSLV rocket and the 26th using the PSLV-XL configuration.
- The launch will take place from the First Launch Pad (FLP) at SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota.
- The launch will involve the 44.5-meter PSLV rocket, and the mission is expected to last around 18 minutes.
Significance:
- Studying the Solar Corona: By mimicking a natural solar eclipse, Proba-3 will allow scientists to observe the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, in unprecedented detail. This will help researchers understand why the corona is much hotter than the Sun’s surface.
- Demonstrating Precision Formation Flying: This mission will be the first to achieve millimeter-precision positioning of two satellites in space. This technology has potential applications in future space missions and satellite constellations.
- Advancing Space Weather Research: By studying the corona, Proba-3 will provide valuable insights into space weather, which can affect satellite communications and navigation systems on Earth.
