PSLV XL Proba-3 Launch: ISRO successfully launches ESA’s mission to study sun’s corona

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 mission aboard its trusted PSLV-C59 rocket on Thursday, a major milestone in international space collaboration.

The launch took place at 4:04 PM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota after a smooth countdown. On Wednesday, space agency had rescheduled it's launch to today following an anomaly detected in the satellite propulsion system.

Read More: Isro Launches PSLV XL Proba 3 Satellite Today


The Proba-3 mission consists of two satellites, Coronagraph (310 kg) and Occulter (240 kg), designed to study the Sun’s corona, the outermost layer of its atmosphere.

S. Somanath, the chairman of ISRO, acknowledged that the mission has been accomplished successfully.

How the mission will work

The satellites will operate as one system, flying in precise formation 150 meters apart to enable advanced solar observation.

PSLV-C59, undertaking its 61st flight, will place the satellites into a highly elliptical orbit 18 minutes after lift-off.

Once operational, the Occulter satellite will block the Sun’s disk, allowing the Coronagraph to study the surrounding atmosphere, where space weather originates.

The mission aims to explore the corona, which is significantly hotter than the Sun’s surface and a critical area for understanding solar activity.

A boost for ISRO

ESA highlighted the mission's importance in studying solar processes that affect Earth. The instruments aboard Proba-3 will focus on observing the solar rim for extended periods, making it one of the most advanced solar observation projects.

Proba-3 is a technology demonstration mission funded under ESA’s General Support Technology Programme. It is designed to showcase precise formation flying, and its launch was facilitated by NewSpace India Ltd. (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO.

For ISRO the launch would be a testament to its expertise in deploying complex satellite systems, building on the success of its Aditya-L1 solar mission launched in September 2023. The collaboration with ESA further strengthens ISRO’s role in global solar research.

With Proba-3 now in orbit, the mission promises to unlock new insights into the Sun’s behavior and the dynamics of space weather.