Proba-3 Mission of ESA to Study Sun will be Launched by ISRO

In a remarkable display of cutting-edge space technology, India is set to launch the European Space Agency's (ESA) revolutionary Proba-3 mission in September 2024. 

• This groundbreaking mission is set to achieve a world-first in precision formation flying, using two satellites that have been designed to operate together in perfect unison, forming a 'large rigid structure' amidst the vastness of space. 
• The Proba-3 mission is a remarkable feat of engineering and innovation, and marks a significant milestone in the quest to explore the final frontier.

Proba-3 mission

Two satellites will work together to create a 144-meter long instrument known as a solar coronagraph. This will help scientists to study the Sun's corona which is difficult to observe due to the brightness of the solar disk. 

• The Proba-3 mission aims to overcome this challenge by using an artificial eclipse in space, providing an unprecedented view of the corona closer to the solar rim than ever before. 
• The success of the mission depends on the precise positioning and coordination of the two spacecraft. To achieve this, the European Space Agency (ESA) has developed innovative technologies, including precision cold gas thrusters and vision-based detection systems. 
• These technologies will enable the satellites to maintain their relative positions with millimeter-scale accuracy. 
• The Proba-3 mission also serves as a testbed for future multi-satellite missions, which could operate as singular virtual structures. 
• It is for the more complex and rich space stakeholders that Earth's principles, tenets and analogies involve radical changes in our approach. 
• The Proba-3 mission will be launched using the PSLV-XL rocket, operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). 
• This collaboration between ESA and ISRO demonstrates the growing trend of international partnerships in space exploration, pooling resources and expertise to push the boundaries of what's possible.

India’s solar mission Aditya-L1

India sent a solar mission into space on September 2, 2023. It took around 127 days and travelled about 1.5 million kilometers to reach its final destination.