ESA's Proba-3 Mission: A Solar Quest Delayed

The European Space Agency postponed its Proba-3 mission's launch due to technical issues. The mission, costing about 200 million euros, aims to mitigate space weather risks and will now launch from India on Thursday. ESA's launch schedule faces challenges, including delays with Ariane 6 and Vega C.

The European Space Agency has delayed the launch of its Proba-3 mission, initially scheduled for Wednesday, due to a technical anomaly. The mission will now proceed on Thursday from India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre, utilizing the Indian space agency's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.

Proba-3 is a two-satellite project developed over a decade at a cost of approximately 200 million euros. It aims to advance global understanding and mitigation strategies for the economic and technological impacts of space weather.

Meanwhile, the ESA's launch program has been facing numerous setbacks. The much-anticipated inaugural commercial flight of the flagship Ariane 6 heavy launcher has been postponed to next year. Additionally, relations with Russia have influenced ESA's access to Soyuz rockets, further complicating the situation. The Vega C, intended for small payloads, remains grounded after a failed debut but is expected to resume operations shortly.

(With inputs from agencies.)