ISRO Solar Mission September 2023
Aditya L1, undertaken by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), represents a groundbreaking solar mission. Its purpose is to meticulously explore the intricacies of the Sun’s atmosphere, encompassing both the chromosphere and corona. Positioned within a halo orbit encircling the Sun-Earth L1 Lagrange point, approximately 1.5 million kilometers (930,000 miles) from Earth, Aditya L1 is poised to unveil the secrets of our nearest star.
Launched on September 2, 2023, from the revered Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, Aditya L1 is on a trajectory that will span approximately four months before it reaches its destination at the L1 Lagrange point. This state-of-the-art spacecraft is equipped with an array of seven sophisticated payloads, meticulously designed to scrutinize the Sun’s atmosphere with unparalleled precision.
The primary objectives of the Aditya L1 mission are as follows:
- Meticulous Investigation of Solar Atmosphere Dynamics: This encompasses the chromosphere and corona.
- Unlocking the Enigma of Coronial Heating Processes: Exploring the physics behind the heating of the solar corona.
- Delving into Coronal Mass Ejection and Solar Flare Initiation: Understanding the mechanisms behind these solar phenomena.
- Examination of the Particle and Plasma Environment at L1 Lagrange Point: Studying the in-situ conditions in this region.
The Aditya L1 mission is poised to be an invaluable source of knowledge concerning the Sun’s atmosphere and its profound impact on our planet. The mission’s data will serve as a critical resource for scientists worldwide, enhancing our understanding of space weather and its significant implications for Earth.
Aditya L1’s scientific instruments comprise the following seven payloads:
- Visible Emission Spectrograph (VES): This instrument meticulously analyzes emissions from the Sun’s chromosphere and corona within the visible wavelength range.
- Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (EIS): Designed to capture emissions from the Sun’s corona in the extreme ultraviolet wavelength range.
- Coronal Hard X-ray Imager (CHXI): This instrument provides hard X-ray images of the Sun’s corona.
- Solar Wind Composition Spectrometer (SWCS): Responsible for measuring the composition of the solar wind.
- In-situ Magnetometer (MAG): This instrument measures the magnetic field in the immediate vicinity of the L1 Lagrange point.
- Plasma Analyser (PLA): Designed to measure plasma density, temperature, and velocity in the local environment of the L1 Lagrange point.
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Charged Particle Detector (CPD): Responsible for measuring the flux of charged particles in the vicinity of the L1 Lagrange point.