NEWS –  India to launch two European Space Agency (ESA) satellites to study the Sun’s mysteries from Sriharikota Spaceport, India on December 4

HIGHLIGHTS

Mission Details

• Satellites: Two ESA satellites, part of the Proba-3 mission, will investigate the Sun’s corona.
• Satellite Types:
  • Coronagraph Satellite: Captures the Sun’s outer atmosphere.
  • Occulter Satellite: Blocks the Sun’s disk, allowing detailed corona imaging.
• Precision Formation:
  • Unique configuration, where satellites will maintain a formation to millimetre and arc-second precision at 144 meters apart.
  • This setup creates a “virtual giant satellite” to observe solar phenomena.

Technical Aspects

• Launch Vehicle: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) by ISRO.
• Duration: Satellites will fly in precise formation for six hours at a time.
• This will be ESA’s first dual-satellite formation with such precision for solar observation.

Historical Context

• This marks ESA’s first satellite launch from India since 2001, when a micro-satellite for Project for On-board Astronomy (Proba) was launched on PSLV.
• Proba-3 mission lays the groundwork for future multi-satellite projects involving complex formations.

India’s Growing Role in Global Space Missions

• Launching ESA’s satellites exemplifies India’s increasing role in global scientific collaborations.
• Success in launching high-precision ESA missions highlights India’s reliable and cost-effective launch services.

Significance of the Proba-3 Mission for India

• Enables Indian and European scientists to study the Sun’s corona, adding valuable data to solar research.
• Demonstrates India’s capability to support complex international missions.
• Sets a precedent in the field of virtual giant satellite technology for future space missions.