ESA Space Weather Service Network
A federated suite of European space weather services for users in industry and academia
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02 NOV. 2014
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ESA's Proba-2 celebrates five years in orbit today. From technology demonstrator to solar observatory and now space weather platform, the mission has provided triple value to European scientists.
The second PRoject for OnBoard Autonomy mission was launched in 2009 as part of ESA’s programme for proving new technology in space.
Orbiting at about 725 km, this minisatellite – smaller than a cubic metre – carries four solar and space weather experiments and supports 17 technology demonstrations, providing companies with the flight experience that is essential for European industry to remain competitive.
In the first phase of its life, into early 2010, Proba-2 was extremely successful in verifying, under harsh space conditions, new technologies that will make future European missions more capable and efficient.
These included a new type of lithium-ion battery, an advanced data and power management system, combined carbon-fibre and aluminium structural panels, and new models of reaction wheels (full details).
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Proba-2 in orbit
Studying our star
Afterwards, Proba-2 continued as a solar observatory, a science mission studying the Sun and the plasma environment surrounding the satellite.
Information from the four solar and space weather sensors are helping scientists to understand our star’s corona and magnetic fields and the mechanisms responsible for solar eruptions.
This information is crucial to understanding ‘space weather’ – the conditions above Earth that can affect spaceborne and ground-based systems and services, or even endanger property and human health.
The importance of Proba-2 data for European space weather services meant that ESA’s Space Situational Awareness programme has been managing the mission since July 2013.
This programme is developing precursor space weather services. In particular, the solar data are used by the Solar Weather Expert Service Centre coordinated by the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels.
This centre generates solar weather data products and services for various users throughout Europe, including industry, satellite operators and owners of sensitive ground infrastructure, such as power grids.
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View of the sun, captured by PROBA2 on 31 October 2014.
Data available online
Proba’s electron and ion measurements are useful in analysing satellite anomalies and in designing improved spacecraft for the future.
The Proba-2 Science Centre at the Royal Observatory of Belgium oversees scientific operations and data processing. The dedicated web portal for space weather services displays the latest ultraviolet observations in an easy-to-use and visually attractive format.
On 2 November, everyone involved with this remarkable mission will celebrate its fifth birthday, looking back on 60 months of testing new technology and providing unique solar and space environment readings.
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Space weather and its hazards
Space weather refers to the environmental conditions in space as influenced by solar activity.For our daily lives and routine economic activities on planet Earth, the conditions within the Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere are particularly important, as dynamic changes in the environment caused by the Sun and the solar wind can influence the functioning and reliability of spaceborne and ground-based systems and services, thereby potentially endangering human health and wellbeing through impact on this infrastructure.
Space Weather Office
ESA provides owners and operators of critical spaceborne and ground-based infrastructure timely and accurate information on current and expected space weather conditions along with estimates of their potential impacts.
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Related links
Proba-2 launch diary
Wednesday 28 October to Saturday 31 October – On Wednesday electrical connections with the Rockot launcher were established, so that by late afternoon the team is able to reconnect its electrical ground support equipment (EGSE) to the Proba-2 spacecraft on top of it.
Sun-watcher Proba-2 view of massive solar eruption
Fibre optics in space
ESA’s SMOS satellite is on the verge of beginning its operational life, returning snapshots of Earth’s watery 'skin'. The water mission’s success has been made possible by a particular technical distinction: the first mission-critical use of fibre optics.
Proba-2 tracks solar eclipse
People across Africa and Asia marvelled at the solar eclipse that took place on 15 January. At the same time it was being recorded from orbit – by ESA’s Sun-watching Proba-2.
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