What is the significance of the PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 mission? What are the components of the Proba-3 mission? What is New Space India Limited (NSIL)? Look up essential concepts, terms, quotes, or events each day and brush up on your knowledge. Here’s your nugget of wisdom for today.
(Relevance: Important space missions are important for your preliminary examination. In 2020, UPSC asked questions about Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), keeping track of important missions in this context is essential for your preparation. )
Why in the news?
After the anomaly was discovered, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) rescheduled the launch of the PSLV-C59/PROBA-3 mission to December 5. Proba-3, a European Space Agency (ESA) Consisting of two satellites, the mission is designed to study the solar corona, the outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere.
Key takeaways:
1. The Proba-3 mission has been developed at an estimated cost of 200 million euros with an expected mission life of two years. ISRO will launch both satellites together into a highly elliptical orbit of 600 x 60530 km. Later, the satellites will be separated and put into parallel orbits.
2. The mission is designed with two satellites that will be launched together, separated from each other, and then flown in tandem. This will be the first attempt at “precision manufacturing flight”, where two satellites will fly together and maintain a fixed configuration in space.
3. It is the newest solar mission in ESA’s Proba suite of missions. Its predecessors Proba-1 (also launched by ISRO) and Proba-2 were launched in 2001 and 2009 respectively. PSLV-C59, the launch vehicle, is a leadership initiative NEWSPACE INDIA LIMITED (NSIL) and supported by the expertise of ISRO.
4. Two satellites – Occulter spacecraft (200 kg weight) and Coronagraph spacecraft (weight 340 kg) – will simulate a natural solar eclipse. They will move precisely in Earth’s orbit so that one satellite casts a shadow over the other.
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NEW SPACE INDIA LIMITED |
| New Space India Limited was established by the Central Government as a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the administrative control of the Department of Space (DOS) on 6 March 2019, to commercially exploit the research and development work of the Indian Space Research Organisation. ISRO) centers and constituent units of DOS. |
5. Naturally occurring solar eclipses allow solar physicists to observe and study the Sun’s corona for up to 10 minutes, an average of about 1.5 eclipse events per year. Will give Proba-3 six hours, That’s the equivalent of 50 such events per year, which will lead to a deeper understanding of the Sun’s corona than ever before.
Illustration of how the occulter spacecraft will cast a precise shadow on the coronagraph spacecraft. (Image source: ESA)
6. Both the occulter and the coronagraph will always face the sun. They will maintain a formation of a few millimeters and then move into position 150 meters apart for six hours at a time.
7. One satellite will act as the viewing telescope, the other satellite will center the shadow placed 150 meters away. This positioning will facilitate observation of the Sun’s corona and gain autonomy through precise flight structure.
8. If done successfully, the occulter will create an artificial but stable eclipse by masking a large portion of the Sun. As a result, the sun’s blinding light will be blocked and only the solar corona will be visible in the coronagraph, which will take pictures and facilitate the study of lesser-known features.
9. Instruments on the Proba-3 mission:
* Spacecraft Association for Polarimetric and Imaging Research of the Sun’s Corona (ASPICS) or Coronagraph. Its field of view is between the Sun’s outer and inner corona, a circular belt commonly seen during solar eclipse events. A 1.4 m diameter occulting disk is placed on the instrument to block sunlight and facilitate close-up viewing of this belt.
* The Digital Absolute Radiometer (DARA) will maintain a continuous measure of the Sun’s total energy output, called total solar radiation.
* The 3D energetic electron spectrometer (3DEES) It will measure electron fluxes as they pass through Earth’s radiation belts, providing data for space weather studies.
Importance of studying the Sun
📍 All space weather and associated disturbances such as solar storms, solar wind, and coronal mass ejections (CME) originate from the corona. These events affect space weather and can potentially interfere with the smooth operation of all satellite-based communications, navigation, and power grids on Earth.
Beyond the Nugget: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)
ISRO launched PSLV and GSLV.
1. The PROBA-3 mission is the 61st flight of PSLV and the 26th flight using the PSLV-XL configuration as a dedicated commercial mission of NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) set to launch the spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit.
2. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) is the third generation of Indian satellite launch vehicles, first deployed in 1994. There have been more than 50 successful PSLV launches till date. It is also known as “ISRO’s mission field” for sending various satellites into low earth orbit (altitude less than 2,000 km) with consistently high success rates.
3. PSLV-XL can lift payloads of 1,750 kg into a sun-synchronous polar orbit (where the spacecraft are always synchronized to remain in a ‘fixed’ position relative to the sun), and much more – 3,800 kg – to low Earth. orbit (usually located at an altitude of less than 1,000 km but can be as low as 160 km above the planet).
4. PSLV has successfully launched two spacecraft Chandrayaan-1 In 2008 and Mars Orbiter Spacecraft In 2013. The launch of PSLV-C48 is the 50th launch of PSLV. Aditya-L1 MissionWeighing 1,472 kg, it was launched by PSLV-C57.
(Source: All About Proba-3, ISRO Launches SSLV, Aditya L-1 Launch, ISRO)
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