The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission is poised to return to normal scientific operations following the recovery of the Coronagraph satellite, with which contact was lost in early February. After months of verification, testing, and recovery efforts, the mission team has confirmed that both satellites are fully operational.
The mission was halted in February after contact was lost with the Coronagraph satellite. Without one of the two spacecraft, Proba-3 could no longer perform the formation flying that is fundamental to its mission. The two satellites must maintain an extremely precise relative position to create artificial solar eclipses, enabling observations of the Sun’s corona.
Following the satellite’s recovery, announced in March, the mission team initiated an extensive series of checks to ensure all systems were functioning correctly. In recent weeks, the first formation flight since the anomaly was successfully completed, confirming the mission’s return to normal operations. ASPIICS, Proba-3’s primary scientific instrument, has also been found to be fully operational.
Return to Scientific Operations
Damien Galano, Proba-3 mission manager, confirmed that the first formation flight conducted after the satellite’s recovery proceeded without issues. This test was particularly crucial as the mission relies on the two satellites’ ability to maintain a very precise relative position during observations.
Proba-3’s coronagraph, ASPIICS, has also resumed regular operations. Solar corona images collected during the recent formation flight have shown the same quality as those obtained before contact was lost with the Coronagraph satellite.
Meanwhile, the mission’s initial scientific results have also been published. Analyses suggest that some solar wind structures in the inner corona might move three to four times faster than previously thought. Further observations will be necessary to confirm these findings, but the initial results already highlight the potential of Proba-3’s observations.
A Complex Recovery Successfully Concluded
After re-establishing communication with the Coronagraph satellite, the mission team launched a series of checks to assess the vehicle’s condition and its systems. One of the main uncertainties concerned the effects of the month spent without power and without contact with the control center.
Engineers also replicated some of the operations that had contributed to the loss of contact with the satellite in February. After identifying the root cause of the problem, the software was updated to prevent the same situation from recurring during future mission activities.
With the return of the Coronagraph satellite and the success of the first new formation flight, Proba-3 can now resume its regular observations of the solar corona and its planned scientific program.
