After identifying a problem with the spacecraft PSLV-C59, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) decided to move the launch of its Proba-3 mission to Thursday.
ISRO declared that it would move the Proba-3 launch to tomorrow (Thursday) at 4:12 PM IST, only minutes before the planned launch time of 4:08 PM on Wednesday.
To demonstrate “precise formation flight,” in which two small satellites launch together and then fly in a fixed position, functioning as a single huge object in space, the European Space Agency’s Proba-3 mission is an In-Orbit Demonstration mission. To examine the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, Proba-3’s coronograph and occulter will combine to create a solar coronagraph.
Reaching temperatures of 2 million degrees Fahrenheit, the corona is essential to study as it influences space weather that can affect Earth. By positioning one satellite to cast a shadow on the other, mimicking a solar eclipse, scientists can study the corona for extended periods, up to six hours, compared to just ten minutes during a natural eclipse. This setup will allow detailed observation and photography of the corona, shedding light on its lesser-known features.
The Proba-3 mission on PSLV-C59 will be the 61st flight of PSLV and its 26th use of the PSLV-XL configuration. Among the five PSLV variants that ISRO possesses, this rocket is the most powerful. It surpasses the regular PSLV in strength, as it is equipped with six large boosters compared to the regular PSLV’s four. The PSLV-C59 is set to launch into the sky.
ISRO’s launch of ESA’s Proba-3 mission is facilitated by Isro’s commercial arm, NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
Dubbed as a milestone in space science and technology, the Proba-3 mission was scheduled to launch today from the First Launch Pad (FLP) at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Liftoff was set for 4:08 pm IST but the same was postponed to 4:12 pm on Thursday.
-NSH Digidesk
