A proud milestone is added to India’s space journey as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C59/Proba-3 mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh today. In fact, it’s a ‘technology demonstration’ mission, and ESA has given go ahead for its latest launch. The main objective is to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere and give precise observations of the Sun’s corona.
“Liftoff Day is here. PSLV-C59, showcasing the proven expertise of ISRO, is ready to deliver ESA’s PROBA-3 satellites into orbit. This mission, powered by NSIL with ISRO’s engineering excellence, reflects the strength of international collaboration,” ISRO said.
At 4:08 pm, the PSLV, which is now on its 61st mission carrying a total weight of 550 kg, the PSLV-XL version will launch the Proba-3 satellites into high Earth orbit. After around 18 minutes of flight, the 44.5-meter-tall rocket is expected to launch the 550-kg Proba-3 satellites into the proper orbit. The satellites are anticipated to have a 19.7-hour orbital period with an apogee of 60,530 km from Earth and a perigee of 600 km from Earth.
The programme intends to induce “solar eclipses on demand”, giving scientists constant access to study the Sun’s corona. No such large-scale implementation of this precise flying technology has been achieved.
