India to Launch Proba-3: A Mission to the Sun's Corona

Science & Technology


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 07-Nov-2024

Why in the News?

India is set to launch the European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 mission from the Srihari Kota Space Station next month. This significant event underscores India's growing role in global space exploration and its commitment to international collaboration.

About Proba-3 Mission

  • It is ESA's first mission focused on precision formation flying.
  • It involves two satellites: a Coronagraph and an Occulter.
    • The mission's Occulter satellite: Will cast a precise shadow on the Coronagraph satellite’s telescope, blocking the Sun’s intense light.
    • Satellite, the Coronagraph: Will then observe the Sun's corona in visible, ultraviolet, and polarized light.
  • Aim:
    • Study the Sun's corona and its impact on Earth.
    • The mission also aims to deepen understanding of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which can affect Earth's satellites and power systems.
  • This allows the Coronagraph to capture extended, detailed images of the Sun’s faint corona in visible, UV, and polarized light.
  • It will also monitor the Sun’s total solar irradiance to study variations in solar energy that might impact Earth’s climate.

What is Sun’s Corona?

  • It is the outermost layer of its atmosphere. It's a hot, but relatively dim region of plasma that extends millions of kilometers into space.

Key points about the Sun's corona:

  • Extremely hot: Despite being farther from the Sun's core, the corona is significantly hotter than the Sun's surface.
  • Visible during solar eclipses: The corona is often obscured by the Sun's bright light, but it becomes visible during a total solar eclipse.
  • Source of solar wind: The solar wind, a stream of charged particles, originates from the corona.
  • Influences Earth's space environment: Solar activity, including coronal mass ejections, can affect Earth's magnetic field and disrupt communication systems.

Sun’s Corona