Proba-3: ISRO to Launch ESA’s Precision Formation Flying Solar Mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission on December 4, 2024, using its PSLV-XL rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. This pioneering mission will study the Sun’s corona, the outermost and hottest layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, through an artificial solar eclipse created by two satellites flying in precise formation. Proba-3 represents a significant technological breakthrough and an example of international collaboration in space exploration.

Mission Objectives and Features

Precision Formation Flying

Proba-3 is the world’s first mission to demonstrate precision formation flying. It will deploy two satellites — the 200 kg Occulter Spacecraft and the 340 kg Coronagraph Spacecraft — that will operate in a highly elliptical orbit (600 x 60,530 km). These satellites will maintain a precise alignment of up to a few millimeters, mimicking a solar eclipse by casting a shadow on the coronagraph.

Scientific Goals

By creating an artificial eclipse, the mission will enable continuous observation of the solar corona for up to six hours. This will allow scientists to study solar phenomena, including flares and coronal mass ejections, which are crucial for understanding space weather and its effects on satellite operations and power grids on Earth.