ISRO Proba-3 Mission: As the world waits for the next total solar eclipse, scientists are preparing for a different kind of eclipse, one that is “artificial.” This concept is exciting people because it’s something new. The European Space Agency (ESA) has been working on a project called Proba-3 for over 14 years.
This mission has been carefully planned and developed over time, showcasing a lot of hard work and advanced science. According to Theweek, the mission will be carried into space by ISRO’s PSLV-XL rocket, which has extra boosters to give it more power.
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The main goal of Proba-3 is to study the Sun’s corona, the outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere that is usually too faint to see clearly. By using this mission, scientists hope to get a better look at the Sun’s corona and understand its tiny details in a way that’s never been done before.
How does Proba-3 works?
✨ Just 3 days to go!
The trusted PSLV is ready to shine with the PSLV-C59/PROBA-3, a mission by NSIL enabled by ISRO, in collaboration with ESA.
🚀 This mission will place ESA’s PROBA-3 satellites (~550kg) into a unique highly elliptical orbit, reinforcing PSLV’s reliability for… pic.twitter.com/qOYdtT10bo— ISRO (@isro) December 1, 2024
Proba-3 works through a pair of satellites: the Ocular satellite and the Coronagraph satellite. Both satellites will be launched together aboard the PSLV-XL rocket and placed in a unique orbit. This orbit will take them as far as 60,000 km from Earth and as close as 600 km.
The reason for this high orbit is that it allows the two satellites to fly information for up to six hours at a time. At this altitude, the pull of Earth’s gravity is weaker, making it easier for the satellites to maintain their positions with less fuel. This is important because it will help the satellites stay in the precise alignment needed to study the Sun’s corona effectively.
Proba-3’s two satellites will provide continuous views of the Sun’s faint outer atmosphere, known as the corona, which can only be glimpsed briefly during solar eclipses on Earth.
To make this possible, the two satellites must remain in perfect formation, with the shadow between them held precisely in place. This requires them to fly autonomously with an accuracy of just one millimeter, about the thickness of a fingernail.
This mission is particularly notable because it marks the first time since the 2001 Proba-1 Earth observation mission that an ESA mission is using a rocket from ISRO.
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By blocking the bright light of the Sun, Proba-3’s “Occulter” satellite will simulate a total solar eclipse, allowing scientists to view the Sun’s corona, which is a million times dimmer than the Sun itself.
As per Deccanherald, the second satellite, called the “Coronagraph,” is equipped with the optical instrument that will study the solar corona, helping researchers gain insights into this rarely observed phenomenon. Since total solar eclipses are infrequent, Proba-3 will offer a unique opportunity for continuous observation and study.
What is the launch time of Proba-3?
“This mission will place ESA’s PROBA-3 satellites (550kg) into a unique highly elliptical orbit, reinforcing PSLV’s reliability for complex orbital deliveries,” ISRO said in a post on ‘X’.
The spacecraft will be launched from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, on the Bay of Bengal coast, at 4.08 pm local time (10.38am UK time) on Wednesday.
