Spacenix

On Thursday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the PSLV-C59 rocket, carrying the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission into space. This mission marks a significant achievement for both ISRO and ESA as the launch took place after a minor rescheduling due to an anomaly. The rocket lifted off at precisely 4:04 p.m. from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, delivering ESA's Proba-3 satellites into a highly elliptical orbit.

What is the Proba-3 Mission?

The Proba-3 mission is a revolutionary project developed by ESA that demonstrates precise formation flying with two spacecraft flying together as one, maintaining an accuracy of just one millimeter. These spacecraft will perform an extraordinary task by creating artificial solar eclipses, which will help scientists study the Sun’s corona—the outermost part of the Sun’s atmosphere that is usually difficult to observe due to its faint light.

Once the satellites are in orbit, they will separate and begin their formation flying operations. Telemetry signals were immediately received from the spacecraft after separation, confirming the success of the mission. The spacecraft will operate together to generate these artificial eclipses, allowing prolonged observations of the Sun’s corona.

A Step Forward for Space Technology

The successful launch of the PSLV-C59 is a major milestone for ISRO, as it demonstrates the agency’s growing capabilities in executing complex space missions. This mission also highlights the increasing collaboration between space agencies such as ISRO and ESA, as they work together to develop advanced technologies for space exploration. The Proba-3 mission will continue its commissioning phase, with the spacecraft remaining attached for a while before separation occurs in the coming months to begin their individual checkouts.

Damien Galano, Proba-3 Mission Manager at ESA, expressed excitement about the success of the mission: "Today’s liftoff has been something all of us in ESA’s Proba-3 team and our industrial and scientific partners have been looking forward to for a long time."

The PSLV-C59/Proba-3 mission is the 61st flight of the PSLV series and marks the 26th flight using the PSLV-XL configuration. The success of this mission underscores ISRO’s role as a leader in space exploration and its capability to work with international partners like ESA to achieve complex goals in space technology.