The cubic-metre Proba-1 is the first in ESA's series of satellites aimed at flight-testing new space technologies. It was launched on 22 October 2001 but is still going strong, having since been reassigned to ESA's Earth observation duties. Proba-1's main hyperspectral CHRIS imager records 15 m-resolution scenes across a programmable selection of up to 62 spectral bands, from a variety of viewing angles. CHRIS is supplemented by a 5 m-resolution black-and-white microcamera. Read more
This Olympics has been watched from all over the world - and beyond. Benefiting from a cloudless sky, this view of London's Olympic Park was captured by the smallest imager aboard ESA's smallest mission: the High Resolution Camera on the Proba-1 microsatellite. The Olympic Park, dominated by the circular Olympic Stadium, is visible towards the base of this 5 m-resolution image, with Victoria Park to its west and Hackney Marsh to the northwest. Read more
Proba-1 charting Earth's radiation belts for a decade
ESA's Proba-1 recently celebrated its tenth birthday in orbit. Kept busy as an Earth-observing mission, the microsatellite has also been building a detailed picture of changes in our planet's radiation belts. Smaller than a cubic metre, the technology-testing Proba-1 was launched on 22 October 2001. Among the payloads was ESA's SREM standard radiation environment monitor, which was turned on a week later. Read more
A good photographer needs agility. So it is with ESA microsatellite Proba-1, which turns in space to capture terrestrial targets. Celebrating its tenth birthday this week, Proba-1's unique images are used by hundreds of scientific teams worldwide. A technology demonstrator turned into an Earth observation mission, the microsatellite - just a cubic metre in volume - has acquired nearly 20 000 environmental science images with its main Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (CHRIS), used by a total of 446 research groups in 60 countries. Read more
On 22 October 2001, Proba was launched as a technology demonstrator within ESA’s General Support Technology Programme. Once in orbit, however, the small satellite’s unique capabilities and performance made it evident that it could make big contributions to science and so its nominal lifetime was extended to serve as an Earth Observation mission. Although Proba (Project for On Board Autonomy) was originally built for a two-year mission, the superb performance of its platform has allowed it to remain fully functional and scientifically productive proving small satellites can be used both to test new technologies at low cost and to conduct space missions. Measuring just 60 x 60 x 80 cm, Proba performs autonomous guidance, navigation, control, onboard scheduling and payload resources management. Its two imaging instruments – the Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (CHRIS) and the panchromatic High Resolution Camera (HRC) – have provided more than 10 000 images of more than 1 000 sites. Its two Earth environment instruments, Standard Radiation Environment Monitor (SREM) and Debris Evaluator (DEBIE) have also returned significant results.