general navigation structure general satellite info ilrs support retroreflector info center of mass site performance info

PROBA-2

Jump to: Mission Objectives, Mission Instrumentation, Mission Parameters, Additional Information

Mission Photos:

PROBA-1 Satellite
PROBA-1 (Courtesy of ESA)

Mission Objectives:

The Project for On-Board Autonomy (PROBA) is a series of technology demonstration missions of the European Space Agency. The first satellite in the series, PROBA-1, was successfully launched on 22 October 2001, initially for a two-year mission and now operational for five years. PROBA-2 is currently under development, with a planned launch in December 2007. PROBA-2 will continue ESA's validation of new spacecraft technologies while also carrying a scientific payload.

The objectives of PROBA are:

  • In-orbit demonstration and evaluation of new hardware and software spacecraft technologies
  • In-orbit demonstration and evaluation of onboard operational autonomy
  • In-orbit trial and demonstration of Earth observation and space environment instruments
Mission Instrumentation:

PROBA-2 has the following spacecraft infrastructure technologies:

  • New type of lithium-ion battery
  • Advanced data and power management system, containing many new component technologies
  • Combined carbon-fibre and aluminium structural panels
  • New models of reaction wheels, star trackers and GPS receivers
  • Upgraded telecommand system with a decoder largely implemented in software

PROBA-2 has the following scientific instruments:

  • Solar observation instruments:
    • Lyman-Alpha radiometer (LYRA)
    • Sun Watcher using AP-sensors and image Processing (SWAP) experiment
  • Plasma measurement instruments:
    • Dual Segmented Langmuir Probes (DSLP)
    • Thermal plasma measurement unit (TPMU)
  • GPS receiver
  • Laser retroreflector array
Mission Parameters:
Sponsor: ESA
Expected Life: 2 years
Primary Applications: Sun observations; technology demonstration
Primary SLR Applications: Precision orbit determination
COSPAR ID: 0905902
SIC Code: 8005
Satellite Catalog (NORAD) Number: 36037
Launch Date: 02-Nov-2009
NP Bin Size: 15 seconds
RRA Diameter: 16 cm
RRA Shape: hemispherical
Reflectors: 7 corner cubes
Orbit: Sun-synchronous dusk-dawn
Altitude (mean): 757 km
Inclination: 98.445 degrees
Eccentricity: 0.00116-0.0025
Weight: 130 kg

Additional Information:

Web sites:

Publications: