New Delhi, August 14, 2023: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is poised to embark on a groundbreaking endeavor with the Aditya-L1 mission, its inaugural space-based observatory designed to delve into the mysteries of the Sun. Aditya-L1 is slated for launch, representing India’s first foray into solar exploration from space.
Positioned in a halo orbit around Lagrange point 1 (L1), approximately 1.5 million km away from Earth within the Sun-Earth system, Aditya-L1 is primed to revolutionize solar research.
“Aditya-L1, the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun, is getting ready for launch,” ISRO announced on X, formerly known as Twitter. The satellite, crafted at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru, has now reached the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR) in Sriharikota, where it will embark on its transformative mission.
The Aditya L1 mission is set to be launched by a PSLV rocket from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR in Sriharikota. It will commence in low Earth orbit before transitioning into an elliptical orbit, subsequently journeying toward L1 through an onboard propulsion system. The spacecraft’s path will lead it out of Earth’s gravitational Sphere of Influence, entering a cruise phase that culminates in a halo orbit around L1.
The mission’s crowning feature is its strategic vantage point. Aditya-L1 will possess uninterrupted access to the Sun’s view, free from occlusions or eclipses. This unobstructed perspective will enable real-time observation of solar activities and their implications for space weather.
The spacecraft will carry seven payloads, a constellation of instruments dedicated to studying the Sun’s layers and phenomena. Among these are the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), the Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS), and more.
Aditya-L1’s mission objectives are ambitious, encompassing investigations into chromospheric and coronal dynamics, solar irradiance variations, particle dynamics, solar corona physics, magnetic field topology, space weather drivers, and the origin and dynamics of the solar wind.
As India stands on the brink of launching Aditya-L1, the scientific community anticipates a new era of solar exploration that promises to illuminate the Sun’s enigmatic behaviors and contribute to a deeper understanding of our cosmic neighborhood.
