Thu Dec 05 11:06:22 UTC 2024: ## ISRO Successfully Launches European Space Agency’s Proba-3 Mission

**Sriharikota, India –** The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C59 rocket on Thursday. The launch, initially delayed by a day due to a detected anomaly, took place at 4:04 p.m. from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

ISRO Chairman S. Somanath confirmed the mission’s success, stating that the spacecraft had been placed into its designated orbit. The PSLV-C59 successfully deployed ESA’s twin Proba-3 satellites, marking the 61st flight of the PSLV and the 26th using the PSLV-XL configuration. The satellites, weighing approximately 550 kg, were sent into a highly elliptical orbit.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher hailed the launch, emphasizing Proba-3’s innovative formation flying capabilities. The two spacecraft, launched together, will separate to perform precise maneuvers, maintaining a distance of just one millimeter. This unique configuration will enable them to create artificial solar eclipses, providing unprecedented views of the Sun’s corona.

The satellites separated from the upper stage approximately 18 minutes after launch. Initial commissioning will be overseen from the European Space Security and Education Centre in Redu, Belgium. The ESA anticipates the operational phase, including observations of the Sun’s corona, to commence within four months.

Proba-3 mission manager Damien Galano expressed the team’s long-held anticipation for this launch. The mission represents a significant step forward in space technology, with the potential to revolutionize future space missions.

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