36037 - PROBA-2

PROBA 2, ESA's Project for On-Board Autonomy technology demonstrator satellite, was launched on a Rockot rocket with a Breeze KM upper stage from Plesetsk on 2009 November 2 at 01:50 UT. The 130-kg satellite carries two Belgian solar physics instruments (SWAP, LYRA) and two Czech plasma physics instruments (TPMU, DSLP) and will demonstrate 17 advanced satellite technologies including star trackers, sun sensors, a camera, magnetometer, and others. SWAP, an Extreme UV telescope, will be used to observe the solar corona. LYRA, is a solar radiometer observing in four ultraviolet bands. TPMU, the Thermal Plasma Measurement Unit, measures the ambient ion and electron temperature, the ion density, composition, and the floating potential of the satellite body. DSLP, the Dual Segmented Langmuir Probe, will study the plasma environment and how it varies with solar events.

Alternate Names

Project for On-Board Autonomy 2 (PROBA 2)

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2009-11-02
Launch Vehicle: Rokot
Launch Site: Plesetsk, Russia