Proba

PROBA-1
Names	PROBA, PROBA-1
Mission type	Experimental, Earth Observation
Operator	ESA
COSPAR ID	2001-049B
SATCAT no.	26958
Website	Proba-1 applications
Mission duration	Elapsed: 22 years, 8 months, 21 days
Spacecraft properties
Bus	PROBA
Manufacturer	QinetiQ Space (previously Verhaert Space)
Launch mass	94 kg (207 lb)
Dry mass	94 kg (207 lb)
Dimensions	0.6 m × 0.6 m × 0.8 m (2 ft 0 in × 2 ft 0 in × 2 ft 7 in)
Power	90 W
Start of mission
Launch date	04:53, 22 October 2001 (UTC)
Rocket	PSLV C3
Launch site	Sriharikota FLP
Contractor	ISRO
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Sun-synchronous
Eccentricity	0.008866
Perigee altitude	553 km (344 mi)
Apogee altitude	677 km (421 mi)
Inclination	97.9 degrees
Period	97 minutes
Epoch	22 October 2001 00:53:00 UTC

PROBA is minisatellite technology demonstration mission in ESA's General Study Program with the objective to address issues of on-board operational autonomy of a generic platform. ^[1]

Short description: European Space Agency satellites from 2001

PROBA (Project for On-Board Autonomy), renamed PROBA-1, is a Belgian satellite launched atop an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle by ISRO on 22 October 2001.^[2]^[3] The satellite was funded through the ESA's MicroSat program.^[4] This small (60×60×80 cm; 95 kg) boxlike system, with solar panel collectors on its surface, has remarkable image-making qualities. It hosts two Earth Observation instruments dubbed CHRIS and HRC. CHRIS is a hyperspectral system (200 narrow bands) that images at 17 m resolution, while HRC is a monochromatic camera that images visible light at 5 m resolution.^[5]

With an initial lifetime of one to two years, the satellite celebrated its 20th year of operations in 2021.^[5] On 9 March 2018, it surpassed ERS-2 as ESA's longest operated Earth observation mission of all time.^[6]

Series of satellites

PROBA is also the name of the series of satellites starting with PROBA-1. The name is also used to refer to the bus of the satellites.

The second satellite in the PROBA series, PROBA-2, was launched on 2 November 2009 together with the SMOS satellite.

The third satellite to be launched was PROBA-V (PROBA-Vegetation), on 7 May 2013.

Further planned satellites in the PROBA series include the formation flying demonstration mission PROBA-3 and limb sounder ALTIUS.

References

↑ "PROBA-1 (Project for On-Board Autonomy - 1)". https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/proba-1#proba-1-project-for-on-board-autonomy---1.
↑ Ramakrishnan, S.; Somanath, S.; Balakrishnan, S. S. (January 2002). "Multi-Orbit Mission by PSLV-C3 and Future Launch Opportunities". IAF Abstracts: 936. Bibcode: 2002iaf..confE.936R.
↑ "PSLV-C3". ISRO. 22 October 2001. http://www.isro.org/pslv-c3/pslv-c3.aspx.
↑ "PROBA-1 - Overview". ESA. 11 December 2012. https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Proba-1/Overview.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 "Proba-1 Celebrates 20th Birthday In Orbit". ESA. 22 October 2021. https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Shaping_the_Future/Proba-1_Celebrates_20th_Birthday_In_Orbit.
↑ "Proba-1 sets new record". ESA. 8 March 2018. https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Proba-1/Proba-1_sets_new_record.