After the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, ISRO is all set to launch another ambitious Project, Aditya-L1. The countdown to the launch of Aditya-L1 has finally started.
Aditya-L1 is the Indian Space Research Organisation’s second space-based Astronomy mission. The first was AstroSat which was launched by ISRO in the year 2015.
AstroSat was launched by PSLV-C30 launch Vehicle from Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh). It is the first specifically designed Indian astronomy mission to explore celestial sources simultaneously in the X-ray, optical, and UV spectral bands.
What is Aditya-L1 Mission?
A mission from India to investigate the sun is called Aditya L1. The Indian Space Research Organisation created the Aditya L1 Mission. The Aditya L1 Mission consists of a variety of payloads, each with its capabilities and goals in mind.
The Aditya Lagrangian Point 1 Mission is the first solar observatory-class space mission. Further, to assist everyone in having a better understanding of the Sun. The Aditya L1 Mission will concentrate on achieving several scientific goals.
Aditya L1 Spacecraft deployment is one of the mission’s goals that the spacecraft will be put in a halo orbit during the mission, 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, at the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system.
Additionally, the biggest advantage of placing a satellite in a halo orbit around the L1 point is being able to observe the Sun continuously without any occultation or eclipses. Moreover, this will make it easier to track solar activity and how it affects space weather in real-time.
Aditya-L1 Launch & Landing Date
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch the Aditya-L1 from Sriharikota on September 2, 2023, at 11:50 IST. The Aditya L1 Solar Observatory spacecraft will be launched in an effort to study the many solar activities in real time besides how they affect the weather in space.
The first Indian mission to study the Sun is all set to launch. However, ISRO has not yet officially announced the precise moment of the landing of Aditya-L1.
Aditya-L1 Mission Budget
According to a report by Times of India, the government sanctioned about ₹378.53 crores for the Aditya-L1 mission excluding the launch costs of the mission. Till now ISRO has not given any information regarding the total budget of the mission.
Whereas ISRO is known for its cost-effective missions, there’s no doubt that even this project of ISRO will be within a feasible budget. Not to forget that the budget of the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which landed successfully on the lunar surface, had a budget of Rs. 625 crore.
Aditya-L1 Objectives
According to ISRO, scientists from ISRO will gain additional knowledge regarding the dynamic study of the chromosphere and corona of the high solar environment during this mission. They’ll research flares, CMEs, solar and chromospheric heating, as well as the physics of partially ionised plasma.
In order to gather information for the study of particle dynamics, they will continuously monitor the particle and plasma environment of the Sun as part of this mission. They will also study the heating of the corona and its physics.
Additionally, they will take measurements of the coronal plasma and coronal loop plasma’s temperature, velocity, and density. CME dynamics, genesis, and evolution. They’ll ascertain the sequence of occurrences in the chromosphere, base, and extended corona that ultimately result in solar flares.
ISRO scientists will evaluate the origin, structure, and dynamics of the solar wind which are the factors that control space weather, and also will measure the magnetic field topology of the solar corona.
Aditya-L1 Launch Vehicle
Aditya L1 an Indian rocket, is launched via the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). Additionally, the PSLV has proven to be a reliable operator of ISRO’s launch vehicle fleet and is known for its ability to deliver payloads into orbit.
Aditya-L1 Payloads
Aditya-L1’s equipment, according to ISRO, is configured to examine the solar atmosphere, particularly the chromosphere and corona. At L1, in-situ equipment will be used to observe the immediate environment.
There are a total of seven payloads on board. Payloads include four that are used for solar remote sensing and three that are used for in-situ solar observation. Here is a table listing the payloads along with their principal scientific research capability.
| Type of Payload | Name of Payloads | Primary Ability |
|---|---|---|
| Remote Sensing Payloads | Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) | Photosphere and Chromosphere Imaging- Narrow & Broadband |
| Visible Emission Line Coronagraph(VELC) | Corona/Imaging & Spectroscopy | |
| High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer(HEL1OS) | Hard X-ray spectrometer: Sun-as-a-star observation | |
| Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) | Soft X-ray spectrometer: Sun-as-a-star observation | |
| In-situ Payloads | Advanced Tri-axial High-Resolution Digital Magnetometers | In-situ magnetic field (Bx, By and Bz). |
| Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment(ASPEX) | Solar wind/Particle Analyzer Protons and heavier Ions with directions | |
| Plasma Analyser Package For Aditya (PAPA) | Solar wind/Particle Analyzer Electrons and heavier Ions with directions |
Aditya-L1 Ticket
There are no tickets required to see the Aditya L1 launch, however, you may watch the live broadcast of the Aditya L1 landing on a number of platforms, including Doordarshan TV, the ISRO website, and ISRO’s social media sites like YouTube and Facebook.
Aditya-L1 Challenges
There are various challenges that Aditya-L1 will face First is the Sun’s typical distance from Earth (150 million kilometres, as opposed to the Moon’s 384 400 kilometres). A scientific challenge is presented by this vast distance.
However, Aditya L1 will have some moving parts, which raises the potential for collision. Payloads in prior ISRO missions have mostly remained immobile in space due to the risks involved.
Additionally, the radiation in the solar atmosphere and the extremely high temperatures are additional problems. Aditya L1 will remain much further away, and the instruments on board are not anticipated to be significantly affected by the heat.
Aditya-L1 FAQs
A- The Aditya L1 mission’s purpose is to examine the Sun’s Corona.
A- The Aditya L1 satellite weighs 400 kg.
A- Aditya’s L1 mission is India’s first mission to study the sun.
A- NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is the first spacecraft to travel to the sun.
A- There are seven payloads in Aditya L1.
A- The launching date of Aditya L1 is 2 September 2023 at 11.50 IST.
A- Aaditya is the synonym of sun in Sanskrit and L1 denotes Lagrangian point1.
A- The expected time to reach L1 as a Lagrangian point is 120 days.
A- Halo orbit is 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth, as Aditya L1 will travel the same distance.
