ISRO unveils Aditya-L1: India’s maiden solar mission set to illuminate sun’s secrets

New Delhi: India’s premier space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is gearing up to launch its pioneering solar mission, Aditya-L1. This ambitious venture marks India’s inaugural foray into space-based solar observation, aimed at unraveling the mysteries of the Sun. In a recent announcement on the microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), ISRO unveiled that Aditya-L1 is in the final stages of readiness for launch. The spacecraft, developed at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru, has now reached the Sriharikota-based Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR), a significant step forward for this remarkable endeavor.

PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission:

Aditya-L1, the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun ☀️, is getting ready for the launch.

The satellite realised at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru has arrived at SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota.

More pics… pic.twitter.com/JSJiOBSHp1

— ISRO (@isro) August 14, 2023

At its core, the Aditya L1 mission is designed to be India’s first space-based solar observatory dedicated to comprehensively studying the Sun. This scientific pursuit is of paramount importance, as the Sun’s intricate workings profoundly influence various aspects of our solar system, including Earth’s space environment. The spacecraft, intended to be positioned in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1) in the Sun-Earth system, approximately 1.5 million kilometers from our planet, will enable unprecedented insights into solar dynamics.

Expected to be launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR) in Sriharikota, Aditya-L1’s journey will be a multifaceted one. Initially, it will be positioned in a low earth orbit, gradually transitioning to a more elliptical orbit through onboard propulsion. This strategic maneuver will enable the spacecraft to reach its intended destination at the L1 point, where it will offer a constant, unobstructed view of the Sun, devoid of eclipses or occultations.

The ISRO elaborates that as the spacecraft journeys towards the L1 point, it will exit the gravitational sphere of Earth’s influence, entering a cruise phase. Subsequently, it will be placed into a vast halo orbit around the L1 point. The anticipated duration of travel from launch to reaching the L1 point is projected to span approximately four months.

This ambitious mission is set to deploy seven distinct scientific payloads, each geared towards unraveling specific facets of solar dynamics. The payload lineup includes the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) for coronal studies, the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) focusing on photosphere and chromosphere imaging, the Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) and High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) delving into X-ray flares, the Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) and Plasma Analyser Package For Aditya (PAPA) aimed at analyzing solar wind particles and the Advanced Tri-axial High-Resolution Digital Magnetometers dedicated to interplanetary magnetic field observations.

This mission carries within its objectives a holistic exploration of solar upper atmospheric dynamics, including in-depth studies of the chromosphere and corona. The Aditya L1 mission also intends to decode crucial solar phenomena, such as chromospheric and coronal heating, coronal mass ejections, and flares. Moreover, it will delve into the intricate world of the solar wind, unraveling the dynamics, composition, and origins of this fundamental component of space weather.

In a groundbreaking collaboration, this mission has secured the participation of various strata of Indian society, including government agencies, research institutions, and educational bodies. The intricate insights garnered through Aditya-L1 are anticipated to not only enhance our scientific understanding but also pave the way for a more comprehensive grasp of space weather dynamics and, subsequently, impact various aspects of technology, communication, and even human space exploration.