2nd September 2023, Mumbai: In a significant achievement, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched the Aditya-L1 solar mission. The launch took place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Aditya-L1, named after the Hindi word for the Sun, is India’s first solar mission and aims to study solar winds, which can cause disturbances on Earth, including auroras.
The Lagrange points
The spacecraft is designed to travel approximately 1.5 million kilometers over four months to a stable point in space known as a Lagrange point, where gravitational forces are balanced, reducing the need for excessive fuel consumption. The Lagrange points are positions in space where a small object can effectively stay in place relative to larger bodies, in this case, the Earth and the Sun. These points are crucial for the spacecraft to conduct its solar observations.
Aditya-L1 carries seven scientific payloads
The mission’s primary objectives include understanding coronal heating and solar wind acceleration, studying the initiation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), monitoring near-Earth space weather, and analyzing the distribution of solar wind. To achieve these goals, Aditya-L1 carries seven scientific payloads, including the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope, Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX), Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA), Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer, High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS), and a Magnetometer. VELC, the primary payload, will send 1,440 images per day to the ground station for analysis. It is considered the largest and most technically challenging payload on Aditya-L1.
ISRO Will Study the Sun
Studying the Sun is crucial for understanding space weather and its impact on Earth’s technology and infrastructure. The Sun emits various forms of radiation, energetic particles, and magnetic fields, which can affect our planet. Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field act as protective shields against harmful solar radiation. By studying the Sun from space, scientists can better understand and predict space weather events, which are essential for safeguarding communication systems, satellites, and power grids on Earth.
The success of the Aditya-L1 mission is a significant achievement for India’s space program and will contribute to our understanding of the Sun and its influence on our planet’s space environment.
By Yashika Desai