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ISRO Reschedules Proba-3 Launch Amid Anomaly

• ISRO has rescheduled the launch of ESA's Proba-3 Sun observation mission due to an anomaly.
• The Proba-3 mission, a collaboration between ISRO and ESA, aims to study the Sun's corona.
• The mission involves two spacecraft, the CSC and OSC, flying in tight formation to create an artificial eclipse.
• This mission highlights India's growing prominence in the global space community and its commitment to international cooperation.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has rescheduled the launch of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 Sun observation mission to Thursday due to an undisclosed anomaly. The anomaly was detected after the countdown had progressed smoothly, leading to the postponement of the mission. The PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 launch was initially scheduled for Wednesday but will now take place on Thursday at 4:12 pm from the First Launch Pad (FLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota.

The Proba-3 mission is a significant milestone in the deepening space collaboration between ISRO and ESA. It will be the first mission to launch from India since the Proba-1 mission in 2001. The Proba-3 satellites were transported from Liege in Belgium to the Chennai airport, and then trucked to the spaceport at Sriharikota.

The PSLV-C59 vehicle will carry the Proba-3 spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit as a dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). This mission reflects India's growing contributions to global space exploration. ISRO stated, This mission, powered by NSIL with ISRO's engineering excellence, reflects the strength of international collaboration. A proud milestone in India's space journey and a shining example of global partnerships.

Proba-3 Mission: Aiming to Study the Sun's Corona

The Proba-3 mission aims to study the Sun's faint corona closer to the solar rim. It is an in-orbit demonstration (IOD) mission of the ESA, which aims to demonstrate precise formation flying. The mission consists of two spacecraft, the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC), which will be launched together in a stacked configuration aboard the PSLV-XL rocket. This will be the 61st flight of PSLV and the 26th using the PSLV-XL configuration.

The spacecraft will create a 144-meter-long instrument known as a solar coronagraph, enabling scientists to study the Sun's corona, which is difficult to observe due to the brightness of the solar disk. The satellites are expected to reach a high Earth orbit with an orbital period of 19.7 hours. The apogee (farthest point from Earth) will be 60,530 km, while the perigee (closest point to Earth) will be 600 km.

The Proba-3 features two spacecraft flying in tight formation, separated by just 150 meters. One spacecraft, the 'Occulter,' will block sunlight to create an artificial eclipse, while the other, the 'Coronagraph,' will capture detailed images of the Sun's corona. This configuration will enable continuous observation of the corona for six hours during each 19-hour orbit, providing unprecedented insights into the Sun's outermost layers.

India's Growing Prominence in Global Space Community

India's involvement in this mission highlights its growing prominence in the global space community. The PSLV-XL was selected for its precision and cost-efficiency, aligning with the mission's budget constraints. The satellites have been integrated into the payload fairing of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. Maintaining the correct position in the shadow requires a precise formation flying capability, down to a single millimeter of precision.

The Proba-3 satellites were initially meant to arrive in India on 21st October and then be readied for a launch by November-end. However, there had been a delay owing to administrative reasons at ESA. The new launch date was not confirmed, but the goal was to launch in December. This collaborative effort also demonstrates ISRO's commitment to international cooperation, paving the way for future scientific advancements.