On Wednesday, the European Space Agency's Proba-3 mission is scheduled to be launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro).
The Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota will launch the spacecraft into an elliptical orbit around the planet. An important turning point in Isro's development from a reliance on other space agencies to a leader in satellite launches is this mission.
Two spacecraft will fly in formation to produce an artificial solar eclipse as part of Proba-3, a mission intended for improved solar observations.
Scientists will be able to examine the Sun's corona in previously unheard-of detail thanks to this novel method. Proba-3's successful launch confirms Isro's increasing standing as a trustworthy launch partner for global missions.
The Occulter Satellite (OSC) and Coronagraph Satellite (CSC) are the two spacecraft that make up the Proba-3 mission.
At a distance of 150 meters, the OSC's 1.4-meter occulting disk blocks sunlight to cast a shadow that is about eight millimeters wide. The CSC, which contains a telescope with a 5-centimeter aperture, is situated inside this shadow.
Studying solar dynamics and forecasting space weather, such as solar storms and coronal mass ejections, which have the potential to interfere with Earth's power systems and communication networks, depend heavily on the solar corona.
In comparison to natural eclipses, its artificial eclipse will provide a hundredfold increase in viewing time by enabling continuous corona observation for six hours throughout each 20-hour orbit.
The gap zone between the low and high corona, which has proven challenging to study thus far, will be the mission's primary emphasis.
Throughout the remainder of its orbit, the mission alternates between six hours of precise formation flying and passive drifting to reduce fuel usage.
Isro's technological prowess and dedication to global cooperation in space exploration are both demonstrated by the Proba-3 mission.
