ISRO to launch Europe's Proba-3 solar study mission on December 4

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch the PSLV-C59 mission on December 4, 2024, at 4:06 PM from Sriharikota. This mission will deploy two satellites for the European Space Agency's Proba-3 project, aimed at studying the Sun's corona. The Proba-3 mission will use a stacked configuration of the Occulter and Coronagraph satellites, which will work together to create artificial solar eclipses. This setup allows for continuous observations of the corona for up to six hours, enhancing solar studies. This launch marks the 61st flight of the PSLV and highlights ISRO's growing role in international space exploration. The PSLV-XL variant will carry approximately 550 kg of payload into a highly elliptical orbit, demonstrating ISRO's capabilities as a reliable launch partner.