<p>India's space agency – Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) – on Thursday (Dec 5) launched the Proba 3 mission satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh</p>

<p>The spacecraft is being carried by the PSLV-C59 vehicle into a highly elliptical orbit as a dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).</p>

<p>In a post on X, ISRO said, "Liftoff Achieved! PSLV-C59 has successfully soared into the skies, marking the commencement of a global mission led by NSIL, with ISRO’s technical expertise, to deploy ESA’s groundbreaking PROBA-3 satellites."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">✅ Mission Success!<br />
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The PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 Mission has successfully achieved its launch objectives, deploying ESA’s satellites into their designated orbit with precision.<br />
<br />
🌌 A testament to the trusted performance of PSLV, the collaboration of NSIL and ISRO, and ESA’s innovative…</p>
— ISRO (@isro) <a href="https://twitter.com/isro/status/1864624104294248477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>The mission launch was scheduled for Wednesday but did not happen&nbsp;due to an anomaly detected in the Proba-3 spacecraft.</p>

<h2><strong>Proba-3: An IOD mission of the ESA</strong></h2>

<p>According to ISRO, the Proba-3 mission&nbsp;is an In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) mission of the European Space Agency (ESA).</p>

<p>The mission's goal is to demonstrate precise formation flying. "It consists&nbsp;of 2 spacecraft&nbsp;viz. the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC) and it will be launched together in a stacked configuration," ISRO said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launches PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 mission from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh<br />
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PSLV-C59 vehicle is carrying the Proba-3 spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit as a Dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)<br />
<br />
(Source:… <a href="https://t.co/YvuZkH1r7G">pic.twitter.com/YvuZkH1r7G</a></p>
— WION (@WIONews) <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews/status/1864624331260875064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>A pair of satellites will fly together, maintaining a fixed configuration as if they were a single large rigid structure in space, to prove innovative formation flying and rendezvous technologies.</p>

<p>The ESA said that the mission would demonstrate&nbsp;formation flying in the context of a large-scale science experiment.</p>

<h2><strong>What will Proba-3 study?</strong></h2>

<p>The two satellites of the mission will together&nbsp;form an approximately 150-metre-long&nbsp;solar coronagraph to study the Sun's faint corona closer to the solar rim.</p>

<p>The satellites will be&nbsp;precisely aligned so that the Occulter spacecraft casts a shadow across the Coronagraph spacecraft, thereby enabling the visibility of the faint solar corona, WION earlier reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>If the two are not perfectly aligned, then the bright disc of the Sun will not be hidden from the instrument and the corona will be obscured by its bright light.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>


India's space agency – Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) – on Thursday (Dec 5) launched the Proba 3 mission satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh The spacecraft is being carried by the PSLV-C59 vehicle into a highly elliptical orbit as a dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).

India's space agency – Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) – on Thursday (Dec 5) launched the Proba 3 mission satellites from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh The spacecraft is being carried by the PSLV-C59 vehicle into a highly elliptical orbit as a dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL). In a post on X, ISRO said, "Liftoff Achieved! PSLV-C59 has successfully soared into the skies, marking the commencement of a global mission led by NSIL, with ISRO’s technical expertise, to deploy ESA’s groundbreaking PROBA-3 satellites." ✅ Mission Success! The PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 Mission has successfully achieved its launch objectives, deploying ESA’s satellites into their designated orbit with precision. 🌌 A testament to the trusted performance of PSLV, the collaboration of NSIL and ISRO, and ESA’s innovative… — ISRO (@isro) December 5, 2024 × The mission launch was scheduled for Wednesday but did not happen due to an anomaly detected in the Proba-3 spacecraft. Proba-3: An IOD mission of the ESA According to ISRO, the Proba-3 mission is an In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). The mission's goal is to demonstrate precise formation flying. "It consists of 2 spacecraft viz. the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC) and it will be launched together in a stacked configuration," ISRO said. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launches PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 mission from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh PSLV-C59 vehicle is carrying the Proba-3 spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit as a Dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) (Source:… pic.twitter.com/YvuZkH1r7G — WION (@WIONews) December 5, 2024 × A pair of satellites will fly together, maintaining a fixed configuration as if they were a single large rigid structure in space, to prove innovative formation flying and rendezvous technologies. The ESA said that the mission would demonstrate formation flying in the context of a large-scale science experiment. What will Proba-3 study? The two satellites of the mission will together form an approximately 150-metre-long solar coronagraph to study the Sun's faint corona closer to the solar rim. The satellites will be precisely aligned so that the Occulter spacecraft casts a shadow across the Coronagraph spacecraft, thereby enabling the visibility of the faint solar corona, WION earlier reported. If the two are not perfectly aligned, then the bright disc of the Sun will not be hidden from the instrument and the corona will be obscured by its bright light.

India's space agency ISRO launches Proba-3 mission satellites

<p>European Space Agency (ESA) teams at Redu, Belgium are trying to perform a software tweak to fix the ongoing issue with their Proba-3 satellite, the launch of which has been put on hold at the Indian spaceport in Sriharikota. Barely 50 minutes before the planned liftoff at IST 4:08 pm, Wednesday (Dec 4), aboard the ISRO PSLV rocket, the launch mission was put on hold due to an anomaly with the European-made satellite.<br />
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ISRO says that the launch has been rescheduled to 16:04 hrs Indian time, Thursday, as per a request from the European Space Agency.&nbsp;Subject to the resolution of the issue, ISRO and ESA are now looking at 4:04 pm IST, Thursday (Dec 5), as the backup launch date.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Proba3?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Proba3</a> launch has been postponed due to an issue with the propulsion system that ensures that the Coronagraph satellite points in the right direction..<a href="https://twitter.com/esa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@esa</a> teams at Redu, Belgium are working on a software fix: ESA<br />
Wishing them the best <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/space?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#space</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/science?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#science</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tech?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tech</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> <a href="https://t.co/hy89R7MqBN">pic.twitter.com/hy89R7MqBN</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1864296265481376086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to ESA, during Proba3’s pre-launch preparations at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, an anomaly occurred in the redundant propulsion system of the Coronagraph Spacecraft. Proba-3 comprises two crafts – the Occulter and the Coronagraph.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This redundant propulsion system (in which an anomaly is observed), is responsible for ensuring that the satellite points in the right direction while in space and can remain in the desired orientation (which side faces which way).&nbsp;</p>

<p>For example, an earth-imaging satellite must point its cameras and sensors toward the Earth. In the case of Proba-3, the twin satellites must face the sun.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to ESA, the anomaly is currently under detailed investigation. The use of a software solution by the mission control team at ESA’s ESEC centre at Redu, Belgium is being evaluated to allow a launch on Thursday (Dec 5).&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-postpones-pslv-xl-proba-3-mission-launch-to-thursday-due-to-anomaly-781487"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;ISRO postpones PSLV-XL Proba-3 mission launch to Thursday due to anomaly</strong></a></p>

<h2><strong>What is Proba-3?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Proba-3 belongs to the European Space Agency, which represents 22 European nations. The twin Proba-3 satellites were built by a host of European firms, and the satellites were tested in Europe before being flown to India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Proba-3 is a project more than 10&nbsp;years in the making, which has been implemented with the industrial support of more than 40 companies across Europe, under the leadership of a core team of companies in Spain and Belgium, such as Sener Aerospace (System Prime), Redwire Space (avionics, satellite assembly and testing, satellite operations), Airbus Defence and Space (satellite thermo-mechanical and propulsion, satellite environmental testing), GMV (formation flying algorithm and software, on-ground flight dynamics system), Spacebel (on-board, ground system and simulation software), and Centre Spatial de Liège (Coronagraph scientific instrument).&nbsp;</p>

<p>After arriving at the ISRO spaceport, the satellites were tested, integrated, and fuelled at the Indian spaceport by European teams.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The anomaly with the satellite was observed during the countdown to the launch when crucial health checks of the rocket systems and satellite systems were conducted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For this mission, ISRO is the launch service provider (responsible for the rocket and its launch), while the European Space Agency is responsible for the satellite, its functioning, and tracking.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This is a commercial mission where the European Space Agency is paying the launch cost of approximately $30 million to NewSpace India Ltd., the commercial arm of ISRO.&nbsp;</p>


European Space Agency (ESA) teams at Redu, Belgium are trying to perform a software tweak to fix the ongoing issue with their Proba-3 satellite, the launch of which has been put on hold at the Indian spaceport in Sriharikota.

European Space Agency (ESA) teams at Redu, Belgium are trying to perform a software tweak to fix the ongoing issue with their Proba-3 satellite, the launch of which has been put on hold at the Indian spaceport in Sriharikota. Barely 50 minutes before the planned liftoff at IST 4:08 pm, Wednesday (Dec 4), aboard the ISRO PSLV rocket, the launch mission was put on hold due to an anomaly with the European-made satellite. ISRO says that the launch has been rescheduled to 16:04 hrs Indian time, Thursday, as per a request from the European Space Agency. Subject to the resolution of the issue, ISRO and ESA are now looking at 4:04 pm IST, Thursday (Dec 5), as the backup launch date. The #Proba3 launch has been postponed due to an issue with the propulsion system that ensures that the Coronagraph satellite points in the right direction..@esa teams at Redu, Belgium are working on a software fix: ESA Wishing them the best #space #science #tech #india #isro pic.twitter.com/hy89R7MqBN — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) December 4, 2024 × According to ESA, during Proba3’s pre-launch preparations at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, an anomaly occurred in the redundant propulsion system of the Coronagraph Spacecraft. Proba-3 comprises two crafts – the Occulter and the Coronagraph. This redundant propulsion system (in which an anomaly is observed), is responsible for ensuring that the satellite points in the right direction while in space and can remain in the desired orientation (which side faces which way). For example, an earth-imaging satellite must point its cameras and sensors toward the Earth. In the case of Proba-3, the twin satellites must face the sun. According to ESA, the anomaly is currently under detailed investigation. The use of a software solution by the mission control team at ESA’s ESEC centre at Redu, Belgium is being evaluated to allow a launch on Thursday (Dec 5). Also read: ISRO postpones PSLV-XL Proba-3 mission launch to Thursday due to anomaly What is Proba-3? Proba-3 belongs to the European Space Agency, which represents 22 European nations. The twin Proba-3 satellites were built by a host of European firms, and the satellites were tested in Europe before being flown to India. Proba-3 is a project more than 10 years in the making, which has been implemented with the industrial support of more than 40 companies across Europe, under the leadership of a core team of companies in Spain and Belgium, such as Sener Aerospace (System Prime), Redwire Space (avionics, satellite assembly and testing, satellite operations), Airbus Defence and Space (satellite thermo-mechanical and propulsion, satellite environmental testing), GMV (formation flying algorithm and software, on-ground flight dynamics system), Spacebel (on-board, ground system and simulation software), and Centre Spatial de Liège (Coronagraph scientific instrument). After arriving at the ISRO spaceport, the satellites were tested, integrated, and fuelled at the Indian spaceport by European teams. The anomaly with the satellite was observed during the countdown to the launch when crucial health checks of the rocket systems and satellite systems were conducted. For this mission, ISRO is the launch service provider (responsible for the rocket and its launch), while the European Space Agency is responsible for the satellite, its functioning, and tracking. This is a commercial mission where the European Space Agency is paying the launch cost of approximately $30 million to NewSpace India Ltd., the commercial arm of ISRO.

Proba-3 faced propulsion issue; ESA trying software fix to launch on Thursday

<p>Hectic activity is underway at the Indian Spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, where the European Proba-3 twin satellites and the Indian PSLV rocket are being prepared for launch on December 4. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the disc-bearing Occulter Spacecraft has been placed atop the Coronagraph spacecraft. This is the final configuration of Proba-3, where the two spacecraft will be placed in the payload fairing (nose cone) of the rocket and mated with the rocket systems. Because this is a foreign-origin spacecraft, all work related to it is being carried out by teams from European private firms Redwire, Sener, Airbus (all of whom contributed hardware towards the mission), and the fueling team from ArianeGroup.</p>

<p>Of the two – Occulter spacecraft and Coronagraph spacecraft, the former has been fuelled up, while the latter is yet to be fuelled. After the fuelling procedure is completed, the integrated spacecraft will be moved to the rocket for mating with the launch vehicle.</p>

<p>Last week, these satellites were put through a fit check, where they are mated with the payload adapter – a mechanical component that attaches the satellites to the topmost portion of the rocket. This is a crucial step to ensure that the satellite is perfectly interfaced with the rocket, and the satellite can flawlessly separate from the rocket at the desired time. In the case of the Proba-3 satellite, the craft is made by European firms, while the payload adapter for the PSLV rocket is made in India. Therefore, a 'fit check' has to be done to confirm that the spacecraft fits onto the adapter as designed. Only after this step can the spacecraft be fueled up.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>What makes Proba-3 unique?</b></h2>

<p>Proba stands for ‘PRoject for OnBoard Autonomy’.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Proba-3 is the world’s first precision formation flying mission. It consists of two small satellites launched together that will separate apart to fly in tandem, to prepare for future multi-satellite missions flying as one virtual structure.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiJyoi2hPCJAxUj5DkIHURYKh0QxfQBKAB6BAgLEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-raises-tariffs-on-european-brandies-as-eu-countries-approve-duties-on-chinese-evs-765652" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/china-raises-tariffs-on-european-brandies-as-eu-countries-approve-duties-on-chinese-evs-765652&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJyoi2hPCJAxUj5DkIHURYKh0QxfQBKAB6BAgLEAE">China raises tariffs on European brandies as EU countries approve duties on Chinese EVs</a></strong></p>

<p>As a world first, its two satellites – the Coronagraph spacecraft and the Occulter spacecraft – will maintain formation to a few millimetres and arc second precision at distances of 144 m or more for six hours at a time. In effect, the pair will be forming a virtual giant satellite. This will be achieved autonomously, without relying on guidance from the ground.</p>

<h2><b>What will Proba-3 study?</b></h2>

<p>The solar corona (outermost part of the sun's atmosphere) has many mysteries associated with it. The solar corona is a million degrees warmer than the surface of the sun, and it is the origin of coronal mass ejections (highly charged particles) which can affect the functioning of satellites, or communication and power networks back on earth. There is immense scientific interest in better understanding the solar corona and related phenomena.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwiJyoi2hPCJAxUj5DkIHURYKh0QxfQBKAB6BAgNEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasas-europa-clipper-successfully-lifts-off-to-hunt-life-on-jupiters-moon-767435" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/nasas-europa-clipper-successfully-lifts-off-to-hunt-life-on-jupiters-moon-767435&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiJyoi2hPCJAxUj5DkIHURYKh0QxfQBKAB6BAgNEAE">NASA`s Europa Clipper successfully lifts off to find alien life on Jupiter`s moon</a></strong></p>

<p>A Coronagraph is a device that can artificially block out the bright light of the sun, thereby enhancing the visibility of the faint corona. A solar eclipse, when the moon blocks out the sun, is a great natural opportunity to study the solar corona. But eclipses are rare and occur only for a few minutes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The two Proba-3 satellites will be precisely aligned so that the Occulter spacecraft casts a shadow across the Coronagraph spacecraft, thereby enabling the visibility of the faint solar corona. If the two are not perfectly aligned, then the bright disc of the Sun will not be hidden from the instrument and the corona will be obscured by its bright light.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>Why is Proba-3 being launched from India?&nbsp;</b></h2>

<p>India's PSLV-XL launcher was chosen to ferry Proba-3 satellites to space, as the ESA&nbsp;does not possess a medium-lift rocket that can launch the 550kg Proba-3 satellites into the desired orbit. The mass of the satellites is above the capability of ESA's Vega-C small rocket, while the large Ariane-6 rocket would be too costly for a mission of this kind. PSLV offers the perfect balance in terms of lift capability and cost. ESA will be paying around €30 million (approx Rs 271cr) to avail the launch services from ISRO's commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).</p>


Hectic activity is underway at the Indian Spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, where the European Proba-3 twin satellites and the Indian PSLV rocket are being prepared for launch on December 4.

Hectic activity is underway at the Indian Spaceport in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, where the European Proba-3 twin satellites and the Indian PSLV rocket are being prepared for launch on December 4. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the disc-bearing Occulter Spacecraft has been placed atop the Coronagraph spacecraft. This is the final configuration of Proba-3, where the two spacecraft will be placed in the payload fairing (nose cone) of the rocket and mated with the rocket systems. Because this is a foreign-origin spacecraft, all work related to it is being carried out by teams from European private firms Redwire, Sener, Airbus (all of whom contributed hardware towards the mission), and the fueling team from ArianeGroup. Of the two – Occulter spacecraft and Coronagraph spacecraft, the former has been fuelled up, while the latter is yet to be fuelled. After the fuelling procedure is completed, the integrated spacecraft will be moved to the rocket for mating with the launch vehicle. Last week, these satellites were put through a fit check, where they are mated with the payload adapter – a mechanical component that attaches the satellites to the topmost portion of the rocket. This is a crucial step to ensure that the satellite is perfectly interfaced with the rocket, and the satellite can flawlessly separate from the rocket at the desired time. In the case of the Proba-3 satellite, the craft is made by European firms, while the payload adapter for the PSLV rocket is made in India. Therefore, a 'fit check' has to be done to confirm that the spacecraft fits onto the adapter as designed. Only after this step can the spacecraft be fueled up. What makes Proba-3 unique? Proba stands for ‘PRoject for OnBoard Autonomy’. Proba-3 is the world’s first precision formation flying mission. It consists of two small satellites launched together that will separate apart to fly in tandem, to prepare for future multi-satellite missions flying as one virtual structure. Also read: China raises tariffs on European brandies as EU countries approve duties on Chinese EVs As a world first, its two satellites – the Coronagraph spacecraft and the Occulter spacecraft – will maintain formation to a few millimetres and arc second precision at distances of 144 m or more for six hours at a time. In effect, the pair will be forming a virtual giant satellite. This will be achieved autonomously, without relying on guidance from the ground. What will Proba-3 study? The solar corona (outermost part of the sun's atmosphere) has many mysteries associated with it. The solar corona is a million degrees warmer than the surface of the sun, and it is the origin of coronal mass ejections (highly charged particles) which can affect the functioning of satellites, or communication and power networks back on earth. There is immense scientific interest in better understanding the solar corona and related phenomena. Also read: NASA`s Europa Clipper successfully lifts off to find alien life on Jupiter`s moon A Coronagraph is a device that can artificially block out the bright light of the sun, thereby enhancing the visibility of the faint corona. A solar eclipse, when the moon blocks out the sun, is a great natural opportunity to study the solar corona. But eclipses are rare and occur only for a few minutes. The two Proba-3 satellites will be precisely aligned so that the Occulter spacecraft casts a shadow across the Coronagraph spacecraft, thereby enabling the visibility of the faint solar corona. If the two are not perfectly aligned, then the bright disc of the Sun will not be hidden from the instrument and the corona will be obscured by its bright light. Why is Proba-3 being launched from India? India's PSLV-XL launcher was chosen to ferry Proba-3 satellites to space, as the ESA does not possess a medium-lift rocket that can launch the 550kg Proba-3 satellites into the desired orbit. The mass of the satellites is above the capability of ESA's Vega-C small rocket, while the large Ariane-6 rocket would be too costly for a mission of this kind. PSLV offers the perfect balance in terms of lift capability and cost. ESA will be paying around €30 million (approx Rs 271cr) to avail the launch services from ISRO's commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).

Europe's Proba-3 satellites to soon be mated with India's PSLV rocket

<p>The twin Proba-3 satellites which arrived from Europe to India&nbsp;a week ago, have successfully undergone their first phase of integration and testing at the Indian Spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the satellites were initially tested to confirm that they were unaffected by the journey from Europe and the subsequent 100 km road transport from the Chennai airport to the spaceport.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Further, the satellites were put through a fit check, where they are mated with the payload adapter – a mechanical component that attaches the satellites to the topmost portion of the rocket.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Over the last 1 week, this <a href="https://twitter.com/ESA_Tech?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESA_Tech</a> team was at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a> spaceport, assembling, testing, the Proba-3 spacecrafts and mating them to the PSLV payload adapter.. This phase of testing is successful..<br />
<br />
Now, teams from Airbus, Redwire, Sener, Ariane will takeover.. Liftoff Dec4th <a href="https://t.co/nscDiEODXp">pic.twitter.com/nscDiEODXp</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1856999358148800856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"The Coronagraph satellite was carefully lowered and mated on the adapter. The clamp band holding the two together was then installed to ensure a perfect fit. The umbilical cables allowing the spacecraft to be monitored during fueling and launch were also put in place and tested to ensure they connected and, importantly, disconnected once the clamp band was opened again and the satellite separated from the adapter," ESA elaborated. While the Coronagraph spacecraft will sit atop the payload adapter, the second Proba-3 spacecraft (Occulter) will be mounted atop the Coronagraph spacecraft.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While such testing is routine for all missions, this is a crucial step to ensure that the satellite is perfectly interfaced with the rocket, and the satellite can flawlessly separate from the rocket at the desired time. In the case of the Proba-3 satellite, the craft is made by European firms, while the payload adapter for the PSLV rocket is made in India. Therefore, a 'fit check' has to be done to confirm that the spacecraft fits onto the adapter as designed. Only after this step can the spacecraft be fueled up.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwi_k67v69uJAxVyxzgGHfNBJSkQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-gears-up-for-space-handshake-spadex-private-firm-delivers-two-satellites-768653" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/isro-gears-up-for-space-handshake-spadex-private-firm-delivers-two-satellites-768653&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi_k67v69uJAxVyxzgGHfNBJSkQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">ISRO gears up for `Space handshake` SPADEX; private firm delivers two satellites</a></strong></p>

<p>Once in orbit, the disk-bearing Occulter spacecraft will block out the fiery face of the Sun to form an artificial solar eclipse in space, allowing sustained observations of the faint solar corona, where space weather and the solar wind originate, ESA added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With the first phase of standalone test activities being completed successfully, ESA team members would hand the further tasks to teams from European private firms Redwire, Sener, Airbus (all of whom contributed hardware towards the mission), and the fueling team from ArianeGroup. If all goes well, Proba-3 will be launched on December 4&nbsp;aboard the PSLV-XL rocket.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>What makes Proba-3 unique</b></h2>

<p>Proba stands for ‘PRoject for OnBoard Autonomy’.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Proba-3 is the world’s first precision formation flying mission. It consists of two small satellites launched together that will separate apart to fly in tandem, to prepare for future multi-satellite missions flying as one virtual structure.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwi_k67v69uJAxVyxzgGHfNBJSkQxfQBKAB6BAgLEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-nasa-astronauts-vote-from-space-with-absentee-ballots-773763" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/world/four-nasa-astronauts-vote-from-space-with-absentee-ballots-773763&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi_k67v69uJAxVyxzgGHfNBJSkQxfQBKAB6BAgLEAE">Four NASA astronauts vote from space with absentee ballots</a></strong></p>

<p>As a world first, its two satellites – the Coronagraph spacecraft and the Occulter spacecraft – will maintain formation to a few millimetres and arc second precision at distances of 144 m or more for six hours at a time. In effect, the pair will be forming a virtual giant satellite. This will be achieved autonomously, without relying on guidance from the ground.</p>

<h2><b>What will Proba-3 study?</b></h2>

<p>The solar corona (outermost part of the sun's atmosphere) has many mysteries associated with it. The solar corona is a million degrees warmer than the surface of the sun, and it is the origin of coronal mass ejections (highly charged particles) which can affect the functioning of satellites, or communication and power networks back on earth. There is immense scientific interest in better understanding the solar corona and related phenomena.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A Coronagraph is a device that can artificially block out the bright light of the sun, thereby enhancing the visibility of the faint corona. A solar eclipse, when the moon blocks out the sun, is a great natural opportunity to study the solar corona. But eclipses are rare and occur only for a few minutes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The two Proba-3 satellites will be precisely aligned so that the Occulter spacecraft casts a shadow across the Coronagraph spacecraft, thereby enabling the visibility of the faint solar corona. If the two are not perfectly aligned, then the bright disc of the Sun will not be hidden from the instrument and the corona will be obscured by its bright light. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

<h2><b>Why is Proba-3 being launched from India?&nbsp;</b></h2>

<p>India's PSLV-XL launcher was chosen to ferry Proba-3 satellites to space, as the European Space Agency (ESA) does not possess a medium-lift rocket that can launch the 550kg Proba-3 satellites into the desired orbit. The mass of the satellites is above the capability of ESA's Vega-C small rocket, while the large Ariane-6 rocket would be too costly for a mission of this kind. PSLV offers the perfect balance in terms of lift capability and cost. ESA will be paying around €30 million (approx Rs.271cr) to avail the launch services from ISRO's commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).</p>


The twin Proba-3 satellites which arrived from Europe to India a week ago, have successfully undergone their first phase of integration and testing at the Indian Spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

The twin Proba-3 satellites which arrived from Europe to India a week ago, have successfully undergone their first phase of integration and testing at the Indian Spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the satellites were initially tested to confirm that they were unaffected by the journey from Europe and the subsequent 100 km road transport from the Chennai airport to the spaceport. Further, the satellites were put through a fit check, where they are mated with the payload adapter – a mechanical component that attaches the satellites to the topmost portion of the rocket. Over the last 1 week, this @ESA_Tech team was at the #isro spaceport, assembling, testing, the Proba-3 spacecrafts and mating them to the PSLV payload adapter.. This phase of testing is successful.. Now, teams from Airbus, Redwire, Sener, Ariane will takeover.. Liftoff Dec4th pic.twitter.com/nscDiEODXp — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) November 14, 2024 × "The Coronagraph satellite was carefully lowered and mated on the adapter. The clamp band holding the two together was then installed to ensure a perfect fit. The umbilical cables allowing the spacecraft to be monitored during fueling and launch were also put in place and tested to ensure they connected and, importantly, disconnected once the clamp band was opened again and the satellite separated from the adapter," ESA elaborated. While the Coronagraph spacecraft will sit atop the payload adapter, the second Proba-3 spacecraft (Occulter) will be mounted atop the Coronagraph spacecraft. While such testing is routine for all missions, this is a crucial step to ensure that the satellite is perfectly interfaced with the rocket, and the satellite can flawlessly separate from the rocket at the desired time. In the case of the Proba-3 satellite, the craft is made by European firms, while the payload adapter for the PSLV rocket is made in India. Therefore, a 'fit check' has to be done to confirm that the spacecraft fits onto the adapter as designed. Only after this step can the spacecraft be fueled up. Also read: ISRO gears up for `Space handshake` SPADEX; private firm delivers two satellites Once in orbit, the disk-bearing Occulter spacecraft will block out the fiery face of the Sun to form an artificial solar eclipse in space, allowing sustained observations of the faint solar corona, where space weather and the solar wind originate, ESA added. With the first phase of standalone test activities being completed successfully, ESA team members would hand the further tasks to teams from European private firms Redwire, Sener, Airbus (all of whom contributed hardware towards the mission), and the fueling team from ArianeGroup. If all goes well, Proba-3 will be launched on December 4 aboard the PSLV-XL rocket. What makes Proba-3 unique Proba stands for ‘PRoject for OnBoard Autonomy’. Proba-3 is the world’s first precision formation flying mission. It consists of two small satellites launched together that will separate apart to fly in tandem, to prepare for future multi-satellite missions flying as one virtual structure. Also read: Four NASA astronauts vote from space with absentee ballots As a world first, its two satellites – the Coronagraph spacecraft and the Occulter spacecraft – will maintain formation to a few millimetres and arc second precision at distances of 144 m or more for six hours at a time. In effect, the pair will be forming a virtual giant satellite. This will be achieved autonomously, without relying on guidance from the ground. What will Proba-3 study? The solar corona (outermost part of the sun's atmosphere) has many mysteries associated with it. The solar corona is a million degrees warmer than the surface of the sun, and it is the origin of coronal mass ejections (highly charged particles) which can affect the functioning of satellites, or communication and power networks back on earth. There is immense scientific interest in better understanding the solar corona and related phenomena. A Coronagraph is a device that can artificially block out the bright light of the sun, thereby enhancing the visibility of the faint corona. A solar eclipse, when the moon blocks out the sun, is a great natural opportunity to study the solar corona. But eclipses are rare and occur only for a few minutes. The two Proba-3 satellites will be precisely aligned so that the Occulter spacecraft casts a shadow across the Coronagraph spacecraft, thereby enabling the visibility of the faint solar corona. If the two are not perfectly aligned, then the bright disc of the Sun will not be hidden from the instrument and the corona will be obscured by its bright light. Why is Proba-3 being launched from India? India's PSLV-XL launcher was chosen to ferry Proba-3 satellites to space, as the European Space Agency (ESA) does not possess a medium-lift rocket that can launch the 550kg Proba-3 satellites into the desired orbit. The mass of the satellites is above the capability of ESA's Vega-C small rocket, while the large Ariane-6 rocket would be too costly for a mission of this kind. PSLV offers the perfect balance in terms of lift capability and cost. ESA will be paying around €30 million (approx Rs.271cr) to avail the launch services from ISRO's commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).

At Indian spaceport, Europe's Proba-3 clears 'fit check' ahead of Dec 4 launch

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India's space agency ISRO launches Proba-3 mission satellites

Proba-3 faced propulsion issue; ESA trying software fix to launch on Thursday

Europe's Proba-3 satellites to soon be mated with India's PSLV rocket

At Indian spaceport, Europe's Proba-3 clears 'fit check' ahead of Dec 4 launch