The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that the launch of the European Space Agency (ESA) Proba-3 mission, which had much of its follow-on operations from Maspalomas initially scheduled for 4 December, has been postponed to 5 December at 16:12 IST. The delay was due to an anomaly detected on the spacecraft. INTA’s Maspalomas base contribution to India in this ambitious project underlines the growing importance of the south of Gran Canaria as a world-leading base for space exploration. ISRO’s PSLV-XL was selected for its proven ability to transport payloads with precision and its cost-effectiveness, in line with the tight budget of this experimental mission.
Proba-3, an innovative mission designed to study the solar corona through precision formation flight, will now take off from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre aboard ISRO’s trusted workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL). The launch, earlier scheduled for 11:38 CET (10:38 GMT, 16:08 IST), will be streamed live on ISRO’s YouTube channel and ESA Web TV.
This mission marks a major milestone in ESA-ISRO cooperation, being the first partnership of its kind since the Proba-1 Earth observation mission in 2001. Using ISRO’s cost-effective and reliable PSLV platform, Proba-3 will be placed into a highly elliptical orbit extending more than 60.000 XNUMX kilometres above the Earth.
The Proba-3 mission, consisting of two spacecraft, is a technological marvel. The two will fly in precise formation, separated by just 150 metres in orbit. One of the spacecraft, the “Occulter”, will block the Sun’s intense light, creating an artificial solar eclipse, while the second, the “Coronagraph”, will capture detailed images of the Sun’s corona. This configuration will allow scientists to observe the corona continuously for six hours during each 19-hour orbit, providing an unprecedented view of the Sun’s tenuous outer layer.
For ESA, Proba-3 represents more than just solar science – it is a crucial demonstration of precision formation flying. By honing techniques for managing multi-unit satellite and spacecraft constellations, the mission will pave the way for future advanced applications. The Proba-3 mission is an example of how international collaborations can advance scientific knowledge while also showcasing technological innovation. It also highlights India’s growing reputation as a reliable partner for cutting-edge space missions. This joint effort between ESA and ISRO not only promises to unlock new discoveries about the Sun, but also reinforces the importance of global partnerships in pushing the boundaries of human knowledge.
