Live: ISRO's PSLV-C59 Launches Proba-3 Satellites To Study The Sun's Corona

Sriharikota: ISRO launches two satellites as part of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 mission on Thursday. The launch took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota at 4.04 PM IST using the powerful PSLV-C59 rocket in its PSLV-XL configuration, known for its reliability and efficiency. This marked the 61st flight of the PSLV and the 26th using the XL variant, which is equipped with six boosters for added strength. The Proba-3 mission involves two spacecraft: the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occult Spacecraft (OSC), weighing around 550 Kg combined. These satellites were launched in a stacked configuration and deployed into a highly elliptical orbit. The mission's primary goal is to demonstrate precise formation flying, with the two spacecraft maintaining a 150-meter distance to study the Sun's corona, its outer atmosphere, which is much hotter than the Sun's surface and is where space weather originates. The spacecraft will fly in tandem, with the Occulter blocking the solar disk, allowing the Coronagraph to observe the corona for scientific research. Proba-3 will offer critical insights into the Sun's activity, complementing ISRO's earlier success with the Aditya-L1 mission in 2023, which studied the Sun.