Proba-3 Mission Launch Update
Recast Launch
- The PSLV-C59/Proba-3 launch has been postponed from December 4, 2024, to December 5, 2024, due to an anomaly found in the Proba-3 spacecraft.
- Announcement made by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Mission Overview
- Proba-3 is a mission of the European Space Agency (ESA).
- Launch vehicle: ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
- Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre.
Key Features of Proba-3
- First-of-its-kind Mission:
- Proba-3 is the world’s first precision formation flying mission.
- Formation Flying Concept:
- Two satellites will fly together in a fixed configuration, resembling a single large rigid space structure.
- Demonstrates formation flying and rendezvous technologies.
Scientific Objective
- The mission aims to undertake a mega science experiment.
- Unique Shadow Casting:
- One satellite will align exactly in front of the other, casting an accurate shadow at a distance of 150 m.
- Achieves a positional precision of one millimetre.
