The European Space Agency (ESA) Wednesday encountered a setback ahead of the launch of its Proba-3 mission aboard the PSLV-C59 rocket. The launch is now scheduled for 4.12 Thursday.
Isro said: “…Due to an anomaly detected in Proba-3 spacecraft, PSLV-C59 launch has been rescheduled…”
The mission, intended to demonstrate precision formation flying and mark a milestone in solar research, will now have to wait.
ESA, which about 1.45pm had the mission was ready for launch hadn’t put out a statement at the time of writing this article.
The Proba-3 mission, consisting of two spacecrafts — the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC) — is a dedicated commercial mission being implemented by Space PSU NewSpace India Limited (Nsil)
The mission had been anticipated as a landmark collaboration, marking ESA’s return to launch with Isro after 23 years. The launch was particularly challenging, demanding that the PSLV carry the spacecraft into a highly elliptical orbit with an unusual apogee and perigee.