Isro set to launch EU's Sun observatory mission in Dec

NEW DELHI: In another boost for India-European space cooperation, Isro is set to launch Proba-3, a key spacecraft of the European Union (EU) for the Sun observation mission, in Dec, space minister Jitendra Singh said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Indian Space Conclave 3.0 in the presence of EU ambassador for India and Bhutan Herve Delphin and Isro chairman S Somanath, the minister said, "EU's large orbiter Proba-3 will go to space from Sriharikota (launch centre) in the first week of Dec. This will be the third spacecraft of the Proba series and it will observe the Sun. The earlier two satellites were launched for earth observation."

"Space scientists from Isro and the European Union are going to jointly observe the Sun's atmosphere," Singh said. The Proba-3 mission includes two satellites that will work together to create a 144-metre-long instrument known as a solar coronagraph . This will help scientists to study the Sun's corona which is difficult to observe due to the brightness of the solar disk. The 'world's first precision formation flying mission' will enable scientists to study the Sun's elusive corona with unprecedented proximity and detail.

The EU's Sun mission comes after Isro launched its indigenous Sun mission Aditya L1 last Sept, where a solar observatory was sent to Lagrangian point L1 to study the Sun's corona and observe the dynamics of its chromosphere. Speaking at the conclave, Delphin said, "India and the EU are natural partners in space, both aiming for strategic autonomy in navigation, Earth observation, and communication technologies. We see immense potential for joint projects in climate monitoring, cybersecurity, and exploration."