The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is poised to launch the PSLV-C59 mission today at 4:04 PM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. The mission, originally scheduled for Wednesday, was delayed due to an anomaly detected in the satellite’s propulsion system.
The PSLV-C59 will deploy the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 spacecraft, a pioneering solar observation mission demonstrating precision formation flying. Proba-3 consists of two satellites—the Coronagraph (310 kg) and the Occulter (240 kg)—designed to maintain millimetric alignment 150 meters apart to create a solar coronagraph. This setup will enable the closest observation of the Sun’s faint corona, contributing significantly to solar research.
“This is a landmark collaboration between ISRO and ESA, marking ESA’s return to launching with ISRO after 23 years,” said an ISRO spokesperson. “It also complements ISRO’s Aditya-L1 mission, continuing our exploration of solar phenomena.”
The mission, supported by ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), will carry the satellites into a highly elliptical orbit using the PSLV-XL, marking the 61st flight of ISRO’s trusted launch vehicle. Once deployed, the spacecraft will orbit the Earth every 19 hours and conduct six-hour-long solar observations per session.
Proba-3 aims to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, which is significantly hotter than its surface and serves as the origin of space weather. ESA emphasized the scientific and practical importance of this research, stating, “The mission will provide insights into the solar environment, crucial for understanding and mitigating space weather effects on Earth.”
ISRO announced the revised countdown on Thursday morning, sharing on social media, “PSLV-C59/Proba-3 Mission. Countdown commenced. Lift-off at 16:04 PM IST, December 5, 2024.”
This launch marks another milestone in ISRO’s partnership with global space agencies, showcasing India’s growing role in advancing space technology and scientific exploration.
