Proba-2
Encyclopedia
PROBA2 is the second satellite in the European Space Agency
's series of PROBA
low-cost satellite
s that are being used to validate new spacecraft technologies while also carrying scientific instruments. PROBA2 is a small satellite (130 kg) developed under an ESA General Support Technology Program (GSTP) contract by a Belgian consortium led by Verhaert (Kruibeke, Belgium). The nominal mission duration will be two years.
It was launched on November 2, 2009, with the Rockot
launch system together with ESA's SMOS
mission. The platform was launched in a sun-synchronous
low Earth orbit
(altitude of 700 km).
PROBA2 contains five scientific instruments. Two of them are designated to observe the Sun
: "The Sun Watcher using APS and Image Processing" (SWAP
, an EUV imager) and the "Lyman Alpha Radiometer" (LYRA
). The Principal investigator teams of both instruments are hosted at the Royal Observatory of Belgium. This institute will also host the PROBA2 Science Center from which the SWAP
and LYRA
instruments will be operated and their data distributed. There are three other instruments to measure basic space plasma properties: the Dual segmented Langmuir probe
(DSLP) (developed by the Astronomical Institute
and Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), the Thermal Plasma Measurement Unit (TPMU), and the Science Grade Vector Magnetometer (SGVM) developed by the Technical University of Denmark.
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
's series of PROBA
PROBA
PROBA is a satellite launched by ISRO in 2001 as part of the ESA's MicroSat program. This small boxlike system, with solar panel collectors on its surface, has remarkable image-making qualities. It hosts two Earth Observation instruments dubbed CHRIS and HRC...
low-cost satellite
Satellite
In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....
s that are being used to validate new spacecraft technologies while also carrying scientific instruments. PROBA2 is a small satellite (130 kg) developed under an ESA General Support Technology Program (GSTP) contract by a Belgian consortium led by Verhaert (Kruibeke, Belgium). The nominal mission duration will be two years.
It was launched on November 2, 2009, with the Rockot
Rockot
The Rokot , also transliterated as a the pun Rockot, is a Russian space launch vehicle that can launch a payload of 1,950 kilograms into a 200 kilometre high Earth orbit with 63° inclination. It is a derivative of the UR-100N intercontinental ballistic missile , supplied and operated by Eurockot...
launch system together with ESA's SMOS
Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite
The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity Satellite is a part of ESA's Living Planet Programme intended to provide new insights into Earth's water cycle and climate...
mission. The platform was launched in a sun-synchronous
Sun-synchronous orbit
A Sun-synchronous orbit is a geocentric orbit which combines altitude and inclination in such a way that an object on that orbit ascends or descends over any given point of the Earth's surface at the same local mean solar time. The surface illumination angle will be nearly the same every time...
low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
(altitude of 700 km).
PROBA2 contains five scientific instruments. Two of them are designated to observe the Sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
: "The Sun Watcher using APS and Image Processing" (SWAP
SWAP
The "Sun Watcher using Active Pixel System Detector and Image Processing" telescope is a compact EUV imager on board the PROBA2 mission that will observe the Sun in extreme ultraviolet ....
, an EUV imager) and the "Lyman Alpha Radiometer" (LYRA
LYRA
LYRA is the solar UV radiometer on board Proba-2, a European Space Agency technology demonstration satellite that was launched on November 2, 2009....
). The Principal investigator teams of both instruments are hosted at the Royal Observatory of Belgium. This institute will also host the PROBA2 Science Center from which the SWAP
SWAP
The "Sun Watcher using Active Pixel System Detector and Image Processing" telescope is a compact EUV imager on board the PROBA2 mission that will observe the Sun in extreme ultraviolet ....
and LYRA
LYRA
LYRA is the solar UV radiometer on board Proba-2, a European Space Agency technology demonstration satellite that was launched on November 2, 2009....
instruments will be operated and their data distributed. There are three other instruments to measure basic space plasma properties: the Dual segmented Langmuir probe
Dual segmented Langmuir probe
Dual Segmented Langmuir Probe is an instrument developed primarily by Czech researchers and engineers to study the magnetospheric background plasma flown on-board the spacecraft of the European Space Agency Proba 2....
(DSLP) (developed by the Astronomical Institute
Astronomical Institute of Czech Academy of Sciences
The Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences was founded in 1954. Currently, it has its headquarters in Ondřejov observatory, roughly 35 km south-east from Prague and its director is Petr Heinzel....
and Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic), the Thermal Plasma Measurement Unit (TPMU), and the Science Grade Vector Magnetometer (SGVM) developed by the Technical University of Denmark.