The Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO is set to launch the PSLV-C59/Proba-3 mission on Wednesday, December 4, at 4:06pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The mission, eagerly awaited by space enthusiasts, will deploy the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) to place approximately 550 kg of satellites into a highly elliptical orbit.
The Proba-3 mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) will be launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-XL (PSLV-XL).
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) “In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) mission” is PROBA-3.
The space agency said on X regarding the expected launch: “The PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 Mission, the 61st flight of PSLV and the 26th using PSLV-XL configuration, is set to carry ESA’s PROBA-3 satellites (~550kg) into a highly elliptical orbit.”
What does the Proba/PSLV mission entail?
A PSLV is a launch vehicle that assists in delivering satellites and other payloads to space in accordance with ISRO’s specifications. The first vehicle in India to have liquid stages is this launch vehicle. In October 1994, the first PSLV was successfully launched.
In order to finish the PSLV integration, the European team—which is presently in India—was able to safely envelop the spacecraft in the payload fairing. There was a dress rehearsal for the launch after the integration.
With the goal of examining the Sun’s corona, the outermost layer of the solar atmosphere, which is essential for comprehending solar dynamics and space weather events, this mission represents an important partnership between Isro and ESA.
“The mission goal is to demonstrate precise formation flying,” ISRO stated in a statement after the launch.
Two spacecraft, the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC) and the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC), will launch together in a “stacked configuration” (one on top of the other) as part of the mission.
They will work together to produce fake solar eclipses as part of Proba-3, the first precision formation flying mission in history.
With their very elliptical orbits and 150-meter separation, these satellites will be able to obscure sunlight and examine the corona in previously unheard-of detail.
The duration of normal solar observations is greatly increased in comparison to natural eclipses because to this configuration, which allows for continuous observations for up to six hours.
This intricate mission will be made easier by the PSLV-XL variant, which is renowned for its increased payload capacity because of its extra strap-on boosters. The Occulter and Coronagraph satellites, which weigh a combined 550 kg, are intended to cooperate in order to get fine-grained photographs of the corona.
The Coronagraph will use this shadow to investigate solar phenomena that are normally hard to view, while the Occulter will block off the Sun’s bright light.
According to ISRO, the PSLVC-59 would launch in four phases. Approximately 320 tonnes of total mass will be lifted off by the launch vehicle.
Additionally, the Space organisation emphasised how this launch mission is a prime example of the PSLV’s “trusted precision” and cooperation with other agencies.
This launch highlights India’s expanding position in international space exploration in addition to showcasing ISRO’s capability as a dependable launch partner.
PSLV-C58, the final PSLV launch, placed the XPOSAT satellite in a “Eastward low inclination orbit on January 01, 2024.” Known by another name, the X-ray Polarimeter spacecraft, it is the first ISRO-built scientific spacecraft specifically designed to conduct studies on space-based polarisation measurements of X-ray emission from astronomical sources.
Following a string of fruitful partnerships between Isro and ESA, the Proba-3 mission advances scientific knowledge of solar dynamics and how they affect Earth.
