The European Space Agency’s (ESA) groundbreaking Proba-3 mission has launched aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) flagship rocket, marking a significant step in solar observation and international collaboration.
The launch took place at 10:34 GMT from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, following a one-day delay due to a technical glitch. At 10:58 GMT, PSLV mission director M. Jayakumar confirmed that the satellite successfully entered orbit.
Unveiling the Mysteries of the Sun
Proba-3 is a two-satellite system designed to study the sun’s inner corona—an area that scientists have long sought to understand better. “The corona of the sun has been very poorly investigated,” said Proba-3 Systems Engineer Esther Bastida Pertegaz. “One of the things we really want to understand is how coronal mass ejections or solar wind originate in this area.”
The mission enables unprecedented observations of the sun’s inner corona for up to six hours per orbit, far exceeding the brief moments provided by natural solar eclipses, which occur only about 60 times a century.
Why It Matters
Understanding solar phenomena like coronal mass ejections and solar flares is crucial because these events can severely disrupt communications, navigation systems, and power grids on Earth. Proba-3 aims to advance global efforts to comprehend the economic and technological risks posed by space weather.
A Collaborative Effort
The €200 million ($210 million) project has been over a decade in the making and involves more than 40 European companies, including SENER Aerospace, Redwire Space, and Airbus Defence and Space. Proba-3 strengthens ESA’s solar research capabilities, joining the Solar Orbiter in studying the sun’s complex dynamics.
Building on Recent Successes
This launch also adds to ISRO’s recent accomplishments, including the Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing and the Aditya-L1 solar observatory. The collaboration showcases the growing partnerships in space exploration and the shared goal of advancing our understanding of the universe.
As Proba-3 embarks on its two-year mission, scientists and space enthusiasts alike are eager to see the new insights it will provide into our closest star.
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Europe's sun-studying Proba-3 mission lifts off on Indian rocket
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