Tirupati: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its maiden solar mission, Aditya-L1, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Tirupati district on Saturday. The ‘Aditya L1’ mission marks India's entry into the field of space-based solar observatories.
ISRO successfully launched the mission at 11.50 am, with the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) carrying Aditya-L1 took off from the second launchpad at the SDSC-SHAR. This mission is the 59th flight of the PSLV rocket and the 25th mission using the PSLV-XL configuration, highlighting the reliability of the launch vehicle.
PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission:
— ISRO (@isro) September 2, 2023
The launch of Aditya-L1 by PSLV-C57 is accomplished successfully.
The vehicle has placed the satellite precisely into its intended orbit.
India’s first solar observatory has begun its journey to the destination of Sun-Earth L1 point.
Aditya-L1 spacecraft's trajectory involves several phases, beginning with its placement in a low Earth orbit. It will then transition into a more elliptical orbit before being propelled towards the Lagrange point L1. This journey, from launch to reaching L1, is expected to span approximately four months. L1 is located around 1.5 million km from Earth and is considered the ideal vantage point for observing the Sun continuously without interruptions. This strategic location will enable Aditya-L1 to monitor solar activities in real-time and provide valuable insights into space weather.
Aditya-L1 is equipped with seven payloads designed to study various aspects of the Sun, including the photosphere, chromosphere, and the corona. Among the instruments are the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), the Solar Ultra-violet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), the Aditya Solar Wind Particle EXperiment (ASPEX), and Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA). The observatory also features the Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS), the High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS), and an Advanced Tri-axial High-Resolution Digital Magnetometer payload.
Of the total payloads, four onboard the spacecraft would directly view the Sun while the remaining three would undertake in-situ studies of particles and fields at the L1 point. These payloads employ electromagnetic and particle detectors, as well as magnetic field detectors, to gather critical data. These payloads utilize electromagnetic and particle detectors, as well as magnetic field detectors, to collect critical data. The primary payload VELC would be sending 1,440 images per day to the ground station for analysis on reaching the intended orbit. VELC,
The primary scientific objectives of Aditya-L1 encompass understanding coronal heating and solar wind acceleration, deciphering the initiation of coronal mass ejections and solar flares, monitoring near-Earth space weather, comprehending the coupling and dynamics of the solar atmosphere, and examining solar wind distribution and temperature anisotropy. What sets this mission apart is its ability to provide spatially resolved solar disk observations in the near-UV band, study CME dynamics close to the solar disk, incorporate on-board intelligence for optimized observations, and explore directional and energy anisotropy of solar wind through multi-directional observations.
