Lagatar24 Desk
Sriharikota: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 satellites today, achieving all mission objectives with precision. The satellites were deployed into their designated orbits by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) during its 61st flight.
The rocket lifted off at 4:04 PM from the Sriharikota launch station in Andhra Pradesh, following a 24-hour delay due to an anomaly detected in the satellites during pre-launch checks.
Proba-3 is an in-orbit demonstration mission by ESA designed to simulate a total solar eclipse through advanced formation-flying technologies. The mission involves two mini-satellites — the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC) — that will fly in close formation, precisely controlling their attitude and separation.
Mission Highlights
•Orbit Placement: The Proba-3 satellites were successfully placed into a highly elliptical orbit, approximately 600 km above Earth, 18 minutes after lift-off.
•Satellite Configuration: Weighing a combined 545 kg, the two satellites were launched in a stacked configuration. Once in orbit, they will maintain a fixed configuration, simulating a single rigid structure in space.
•Technological Innovation: This mission showcases cutting-edge formation-flying and rendezvous technologies, with the ability to simulate a solar eclipse, offering groundbreaking opportunities for solar observations.
ISRO carried out the mission as a dedicated commercial launch under New Space India Limited (NSIL), its commercial arm. The Proba-3 mission is ESA’s and the world’s first precision formation-flying mission, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
Second ESA Mission on PSLV
This launch marks the second ESA satellite mission aboard an Indian rocket. The first, Proba-1, was launched in 2001 using the PSLV. Initially intended as a one-year mission, Proba-1 has exceeded expectations and remains operational more than two decades later.
ISRO’s continued collaboration with international agencies, such as ESA, highlights India’s growing prominence in the global space industry.
