Q. What is the primary goal of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 mission scheduled to launch aboard India's PSLV?
Answer:
To demonstrate precision formation flying for solar observation
Notes: The primary goal of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 mission, which is scheduled to launch aboard India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), is to demonstrate precision formation flying between two satellites for solar observation. This innovative mission aims to create an artificial eclipse by precisely positioning the two small satellites, namely the Coronagraph spacecraft and the solar-disc-shaped Occulter spacecraft, approximately 150 meters apart. This configuration will allow the Occulter to cast its shadow onto the Coronagraph's telescope, effectively blocking the Sun’s direct light and enabling the observation of the Sun's faint corona in visible, ultraviolet, and polarised light for extended periods.