The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has rescheduled the launch of the PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 satellite mission to December 5 at 4:12 PM, following the detection of an anomaly on Wednesday. The launch was originally scheduled for today (Wednesday) at 4:08 PM from the first launch pad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
“Due to an anomaly detected in PROBA-3 spacecraft, PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 launch has been rescheduled to tomorrow at 16:12 hours,” ISRO announced in a post on X.
The PSLV-C59 mission, a collaborative initiative between ISRO and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), will deploy a payload of approximately 550 kg into a highly elliptical orbit. Proba-3, ESA’s first precision formation-flying mission, will be the centerpiece of this launch, representing a major milestone in global space technology.
Proba-3 comprises two satellites designed to operate in tandem, maintaining a fixed configuration in space as though they form a single rigid structure. This technology demonstration mission aims to validate advanced formation flying and rendezvous technologies. The two satellites will form a 150-meter-long solar coronagraph, enabling unprecedented studies of the Sun’s faint corona near the solar rim.
ESA highlighted that this mission is not only a groundbreaking science experiment but also a demonstration of precise positioning technologies using innovative metrology sensors and control algorithms. Proba-3 will serve as an orbital laboratory, advancing capabilities in acquisition, rendezvous, proximity operations, and formation flying, which will revolutionize future space missions.
The mission includes the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC), which will be launched in a “stacked configuration.” Once in orbit, these satellites will align with the Sun to block its brilliant disk, allowing continuous observation of the faint solar corona, the Sun’s outer atmosphere.
ISRO shared updates on the launch via its social media platform, adding, “Countdown is progressing smoothly as PSLV-C59, an initiative led by NSIL and supported by ISRO’s expertise, prepares to launch ESA’s Proba-3 satellites into a highly elliptical orbit.”
The PSLV-C59 launch will involve four stages, with multiple ignitions and separation stages until the Proba-3 satellites are released into orbit. The total lift-off mass of the launch vehicle is approximately 320 tonnes, reflecting the PSLV’s robust capabilities. Notably, the PSLV is India’s first launch vehicle equipped with liquid stages, achieving its first successful launch in October 1994.
The Proba-3 mission is categorized as an “In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD)” by ESA.
(Inputs from ANI)