At exactly midnight CET on the 15th of January 2025, a critical milestone in the Proba-3 mission was achieved: the successful separation of the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC).

The team had been preparing for this moment for months, and all the hard work paid off. The separation was executed successfully, and immediately afterward, the team began monitoring both spacecraft closely from the Control Centre at ESEC Redu, in Belgium.

For those intense few minutes following separation, all eyes were on the data coming in from both satellites. The atmosphere in the Main Control Room was of focus and determination, as operators and system engineers ensured the separation had gone according to plan.

Meanwhile, the Support Room was buzzing with activity as experts—especially the GNC (Guidance, Navigation, and Control) team—kept a watchful eye on the satellites’ state and attitude. Their role was essential in verifying that both spacecraft transitioned smoothly into their post-separation configurations.

After a brief period of suspense, the moment everyone was waiting for came: both satellites successfully entered safe mode! This marked the start of their independent operations and demonstrated that all systems were functioning nominally.

Moreover, one of the transmitters onboard apparently was very happy with the separation. When the two spacecraft were in stack, it was not performing as expected. However, once the satellites separated, it started showing a perfect behaviour!

This successful separation is a major achievement for the Proba-3 mission and sets the stage for the next steps in this ambitious project.

Stay tuned as the Proba-3 mission continues to make history!