SENER AEROSPACE & DEFENSE'S PROBA-3 IS CLOSER TO COMPLETION

The Proba-3 program, spearheaded by Sener Aerospace & Defense -the project’s prime contractor for the European Space Agency (ESA)- has reached a major milestone, completing all the integration & testing activities planned before the start of the environmental test campaign of both satellites.

Proba-3 aims to achieve, for the first time, a high-precision formation flight between two platforms in space and demonstrate the readiness of a technology that, in the future, can be used to replace bulky structures (such as telescopes) with small independent platforms. Those are easier to launch into space and can be combined to form large assemblies that work as a single entity, while achieving equivalent performance.

Proba-3 will apply this technology to perform scientific observations, taking images of the sun’s corona through a coronagraph instrument placed in one of the spacecraft. 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. Doing this in space, at a distance of 150 m, will achieve unprecedented performance in coronagraphy and, therefore, will bring highly valuable scientific outcomes.

The environmental test campaign of both satellites is now starting with the RF auto-compatibility tests and the mass properties measurements at Redwire Space. After completing this first phase, the satellites will be shipped in April in order to continue the test campaign in Ottobrunn (Germany) using the mechanical & thermal test facilities of IABG.

Proba-3 satellites will be launched in early 2024. Then, following the usual launch and early orbit phase (LEOP) -including the separation of the stack configuration into two independent satellites- an orbital verification phase will take place before the handover to ESA, which will operate the system for the remainder of the mission life.