The Proba-3 program takes an important step in the integration of its two satellites

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 21:31:26 GMT
Space Daily

Madrid, Spain (SPX) Jan 19, 2022 The Proba-3 program, spearheaded by SENER Aeroespacial, the...

The Proba-3 program, spearheaded by SENER Aeroespacial, the project's prime contractor for the European Space Agency, has accomplished several relevant milestones in the integration of the two satellites that will, for the first time, demonstrate a high- precision formation flight in space.

Formation flying technology entails placing one of the two satellites in front of the instrument's lens, thus blocking out the sun's disk and creating an artificial eclipse in flight.

The project has made an important step ahead with the start of the integration of the flight equipment, after the delivery of the platforms of the two satellites by Airbus Defence and Space.

The first one, called Coronagraph Spacecraft, contains the main instrument, whereas the second satellite, called Occulter Spacecraft, carries an occulting disk that cover the sun's disk as seen from the other satellite.

Airbus delivered the structure of both satellites already integrated with the propulsion system, harness and the thermal control system.

The two satellites are now at the QinetiQ facility in Kruibeke.

The last step has been the integration of the coronagraph instrument, the cornerstone of Proba-3 scientific mission, developed by a consortium led by CSL. Such integration of the payload in the OBA has been realized by a joint team of CSL and SENER Aeroespacial employees, making use of the CSL facilities in Liege.

The two satellites will stay 150 m apart, forming a large rigid virtual structure, with a relative accuracy between them on the order of millimeters and arcseconds.

To do this, the two satellites will create a 150-m long coronagraph that will be able to study the Sun's corona closer to the surface than ever before.

The satellites will make up what is called a coronagraph with an external occulter, such that one of the satellites prevents sunlight from directly reaching the camera on the instrument mounted on the other, leaving only the Sun's corona visible.