ISRO has achieved another remarkable feat! On Thursday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission aboard its dependable PSLV-C59 rocket. This marks a significant step forward in international space collaboration.
The launch occurred at 4:04 PM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. Initially planned for Wednesday, the mission was rescheduled after ISRO detected an issue in the satellite propulsion system during pre-launch checks.
The Proba-3 mission comprises two satellites – Coronagraph (310 kg) and Occulter (240 kg) – specifically designed to study the Sun’s corona, the outermost layer of its atmosphere.
S. Somanath, ISRO’s chairman, shared his excitement, stating, “The mission has been accomplished successfully.”
How It Works
The two satellites will function as a single system, maintaining a precise 150-meter formation. This setup allows advanced solar observations.
During its 61st flight, PSLV-C59 will place the satellites into a highly elliptical orbit just 18 minutes after liftoff. Once in orbit, the Occulter satellite will block the Sun’s disk, enabling the Coronagraph to focus on the surrounding atmosphere, where space weather originates.
By exploring the Sun’s corona, a region far hotter than its surface, the mission aims to unlock new insights into solar activity and space weather, paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries.
