ISRO to Launch Groundbreaking Proba-3 Mission: Exploring the Sun's Corona with Precision Formation Flying

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission on December 4. The launch will take place at Sriharikota, India.

The main goal of Proba-3 is to study the Sun’s corona. The corona is the outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere and is difficult to observe due to its extreme temperatures.

One of the most exciting features of this mission is the use of "precision formation flying." This means that two satellites will fly together in exact alignment to study the Sun.

Proba-3 is a joint mission between European countries such as Spain, Belgium, and Italy. The total cost of the mission is 200 million euros. It will last for two years. The mission includes two key spacecraft:

- Occulter Spacecraft: Weighing 200 kg

- Coronagraph Spacecraft: Weighing 340 kg

These two satellites will work together. The Occulter spacecraft will block the Sun’s light, while the Coronagraph spacecraft will capture detailed images of the Sun’s corona.

The Proba-3 spacecraft will orbit at altitudes between 600 km and 60,530 km. It will take 19.7 hours to complete one orbit. The spacecraft will be launched aboard ISRO’s PSLV-XL rocket.

The main objective of Proba-3 is to study the Sun’s corona. The corona is difficult to study because of the Sun’s brightness. Traditional instruments can’t capture its details. However, Proba-3’s instruments will allow scientists to get a clear view of the corona.

The instruments on Proba-3 are:

- ASPIICS: A coronagraph that will provide clear images of the Sun’s corona using a 1.4-meter occulting disk to block sunlight.

- DARA: This measures the Sun’s total energy output, also known as solar irradiance.

- 3DEES: This measures electron fluxes in Earth’s radiation belts to improve space weather predictions.

One of the most innovative aspects of Proba-3 is its precision formation flying.

The two satellites will fly just a few millimeters apart. One satellite will block the Sun’s light, allowing the other to study the corona. This will give scientists up to six hours of continuous observation. This is much longer than a natural solar eclipse, which only lasts for a few minutes.

Proba-3 is a major achievement for ISRO. It shows the agency’s growing role in global space exploration.

Indian scientists will benefit from access to the mission’s data. This will help advance research in solar physics and space weather.

The mission also strengthens the partnership between ISRO and ESA. It is another step forward for India in space exploration.