PSLV-C59/ PROBA-3 Mission – YouTube
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A European objective that will utilize 2 satellites to produce synthetic eclipses in Earth orbit will introduce early Wednesday early morning (Dec. 4), and you can enjoy the action live.
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 formation-flying objective is set up to take off atop an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Satish Dhawan Space Center on Wednesday at 5:38 a.m. EST (1038 GMT; 4:08 p.m. regional time in India).
You can enjoy the launch live here at Space.com, thanks to the Indian Space Research Organisation, or straight by means of ISRO. Protection will begin around 5 a.m. EST (1000 GMT).
India rolls a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle to the pad ahead of the prepared Dec. 4, 2024 launch of Europe's Proba-3 formation-flying objective. (Image credit: ISRO)
ESA and its private-sector partners started establishing the 200-million-euro (about $210 million USD) Proba-3 objective back in 2014. It's the 4th flight in the company's Proba series of low-priced, technology-demonstrating orbital efforts.
Related: Proba-2 satellite sees double when snapping solar eclipse images from area
The other 3 are Proba-1, an Earth-observation satellite with an unique hyperspectral instrument that introduced in 2001; Proba-2, a sun-studying spacecraft with more than 20 innovation and science payloads that flew in 2009; and Proba-V, which introduced in 2012 to map Earth's plant life (the “V” in the objective's name) utilizing ingenious science equipment.
All of these predecessors are still going strong in Earth orbit.
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Proba-3 includes 2 satellites, which together weigh about 1,210 pounds (550 kgs). If all goes according to intend on Wednesday, the four-stage, 146-foot-tall (44.5 meters) PSLV will provide this duo to an extremely elliptical orbit, one that takes them 37,612 miles (60,530 kilometers) from Earth at their most far-off point and simply 373 miles (600 km) away at their closest.
“After a brief preparatory duration, the 2 satellites will be separated and injected into a safe relative tandem orbit,” ESA authorities composed in a Proba-3 objective description. “Included in the commissioning duration will be a presentation of the objective's Collision Avoidance Maneuver, guaranteeing they can be left securely in an orbit without any danger of accident or fleing from each other.”
The objective's genuine work will start– a presentation of development flying, the likes of which we've never ever seen before.
“As a world initially, its 2 satellites– the Coronagraph spacecraft and the Occulter spacecraft– will keep development to a couple of millimeters and arc 2nd accuracy at ranges of around 150 meters [492 feet] for 6 hours at a time,” ESA authorities composed. “In impact, the set will be forming a virtual huge satellite. And this will be accomplished autonomously, without depending on assistance from the ground.”
While lined up in this extremely accurate style,
