ESA'S PROBA-3 MISSION TAKES OFF ON ISRO'S PSLV

PSLV-CS9 vehicle carried European Space Agency’s Proba-3 spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit as a dedicated commercial mission of NSIL, the commercial arm of ISRO

- AYUSHEE CHAUDHARY

APPROACHING THE END OF THE YEAR ON A HIGH NOTE, QUITE literally, another rocket took to the skies from the Indian soil.On December 5, 2024, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLVC59) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), added another milestone to its record by successfully launching the European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 mission.

Launched from the First Launch Pad (FLP), Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), Sriharikota, PSLV-C59/Proba-3 mission successfully achieved its launch objectives. PSLV-C59 vehicle carried Proba-3 spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit as a dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO. This marked a landmark moment for NSIL, the commercial arm of ISRO, as it solidified its position as a key player in global commercial satellite launches and reinforced PSLV’s reliability for complex orbital deliveries.

Proba-3 is an In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) mission of ESA with the goal to demonstrate precise formation flying. A pair of satellites were flown together, maintaining a fixed configuration as if they were a single large rigid structure in space, to prove innovative formation flying and rendezvous technologies in space.

“PSLV-C59 has successfully soared into the skies, marking the commencement of a global mission led by NSIL, with ISRO’s technical expertise, to deploy ESA’s groundbreaking Proba-3 satellites. A proud moment celebrating the synergy of international collaboration and India’s space achievements,” ISRO said in its social media post.