PROBA satellite series

PROBA-3 in cleanroom

Project for On-Board Autonomy (PROBA) is a series of small satellites in low Earth orbit combining technology demonstration with operational roles in Earth observation and astronomy, operated by the European Space Agency (ESA). All PROBA satellites have been constructed in Belgium. The name is also used to refer to the bus of the satellites. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]} These missions are funded through the ESA's General Support Technology Programme (GSTP). ^{[8] [9] [10] [11] [12]}

Satellites

• PROBA-1 (launched in October 2001) is testing two Earth observation instruments.
• PROBA-2 (launched in November 2009) is testing instruments for Sun observation and space weather monitoring.
• PROBA-V (launched in May 2013) performed daily monitoring of global vegetation growth.
• PROBA-V CubeSat Companion (launched in October 2023) is testing the PROBA-V instrument on a smaller CubeSat platform.
• PROBA-3 (launched in December 2024) is a dual-probe mission testing high-precision formation flying for coronagraphy of the Sun.
• ALTIUS (launch planned for 2027), using the PROBA satellite bus, ^[13] will monitor stratospheric ozone.

See also

• List of European Space Agency programs and missions
• Jason satellite series

References

1. "Proba Series - ESA". www.satnow.com. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
2. "Proba Missions". www.esa.int. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
3. Decourt, Rémy (6 June 2006). "Les satellites PROBA de l'ESA : démonstrateurs de technologies d'avenir". Futura (in French). Retrieved 19 October 2025.
4. PROBA satellites still going strong
5. "PROBA". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
6. "Proba "spacecraft family" small autonomous satellites - a Belgian innovative export product". adsabs.harvard.edu. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
7. "PROBA-V - Earth Online". earth.esa.int. Archived from the original on 11 May 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
8. Information Session: General Support Technology Programme (GSTP)
9. "WMO OSCAR Details for Satellite Programme: PROBA". space.oscar.wmo.int. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
10. Proba, an ESA technology demonstration mission, results after 3 years in orbit
11. "Platform Record: ESA Project for On-Board Autonomy (Proba)". catalogue.ceda.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
12. "Technological Support (GSTP) | European Space Agency (ESA) | Space Research and Applications | Belspo". www.belspo.be. Archived from the original on 23 April 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
13. ALTIUS: HIGH PERFORMANCE LIMB TRACKER, BASED ON A PROBA PLATFORM