Hey students, get ready for a thrilling chapter in space exploration! The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch a groundbreaking mission for the European Space Agency, marking a significant milestone in India's space journey. The countdown excitement is palpable at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, where the Proba-3 spacecraft will soon head into orbit.Scheduled for launch at 4:08 PM on Wednesday, this mission, managed by NewSpace India Ltd, ISRO's commercial arm, is not just any launch; it's a technology demonstration designed to perform precision formation flying—a first of its kind—and study the Sun’s outer atmosphere.The mission involves two specially designed satellites, the ‘Coronagraph’ and the ‘Occulter’. These two will launch together but operate separately in space, maintaining a meticulous distance of just 150 meters apart. This precise spacing allows the 'Occulter' to block the Sun, enabling the 'Coronagraph' to study the Sun’s corona. This part of the Sun, significantly hotter than its surface, is crucial for understanding space weather, which impacts satellite operations and Earth's power grids.After a journey aboard ISRO’s reliable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on its 61st flight, the satellites are expected to reach a High Earth Orbit. Here, they will orbit Earth with a period of 19.7 hours, reaching an apogee (farthest point from Earth) of 60,530 km and a perigee (closest point) of 600 km.
