EU’s Proba 3 Sun observation mission

Current Context : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch the European Union’s Proba 3 Sun Observation Mission in December.

About Mission

• The Proba-3 mission, part of a collaborative effort between the European Union and India.
• Aim : to observe the Sun’s faint corona, the outermost part of its atmosphere. This study is significant because the corona can typically only be seen during solar eclipses.
• Mission Setup: Comprises two satellites that fly in precise formation to create a coronagraph effect, enabling continuous observation of the Sun’s corona.
• Orbit Details: High elliptical orbit between 600 km and 60,000 km from Earth to allow extended formation flying with minimal fuel use due to reduced gravitational influence.