On Thursday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 Sun observation mission, using the PSLV-C59 launch vehicle.
The mission took off from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Sriharikota.
Taking to X, ISRO posted, “PSLV-C59 has successfully soared into the skies, marking the commencement of a global mission led by NSIL, with ISRO’s technical expertise, to deploy ESA’s groundbreaking PROBA-3 satellites.”
“A proud moment celebrating the synergy of international collaboration and India’s space achievements!” it further added.
🌟 Liftoff Achieved!
PSLV-C59 has successfully soared into the skies, marking the commencement of a global mission led by NSIL, with ISRO’s technical expertise, to deploy ESA’s groundbreaking PROBA-3 satellites.
🌍 A proud moment celebrating the synergy of international…
— ISRO (@isro) December 5, 2024
ESA’s Proba-3 Mission Marks First Launch From India Since 2001
ESA’s Proba-3 mission is the first ESA mission launched from India since Proba-1 in 2001, showcasing the deepening ties between ESA and ISRO.
The launch also highlights India’s expanding contributions to global space research.
The PSLV-C59 vehicle will carry the Proba-3 spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit.
This is a dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Ltd (NSIL).
The Proba-3 mission aims to study the Sun’s faint corona closer to the solar rim, demonstrating precise formation flying.
ISRO asserted, “This mission, powered by NSIL with ISRO’s engineering excellence, reflects the strength of international collaboration. A proud milestone in India’s space journey and a shining example of global partnerships.”
The mission launch delayed earlier due to an undisclosed anomaly that occurred after the countdown proceeded smoothly.
The Proba-3 satellites, transported to Chennai from Liege in Belgium, were trucked to the Sriharikota spaceport.
The mission includes two spacecraft—the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC)—launched together in a stacked configuration aboard the PSLV-XL rocket.
This marks the 61st flight of the PSLV and the 26th using the PSLV-XL configuration.
The spacecraft will create a 144-meter-long solar coronagraph, enabling scientists to study the Sun’s corona, which is challenging to observe due to the brightness of the solar disk.
The successful launch of PSLV-C59 further demonstrates ISRO’s engineering expertise and the popularity of the PSLV-XL variant in space missions.
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