Aditya-L1 mission to Sun by India

Aditya-L1: Mission to the Sun by India for UPSC and Other Competitive exams

Aditya-L1, India,s first ever mission to the sun is a very important topic for various competitive exams like UPSC, state PSc etc. Here you find a descriptive explanation on the topic covering every aspect for exam point. Data and facts help in preparation of multiple choice questions of various competitive exams.

Aditya-L1: Mission to the Sun by India

Aditya-L1, India,s first ever mission to the sun has been launched on 02 Sep 23 by Indian spadce research organisation(ISRO) from the launch pad at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. It’s been the second moment of proud to the whole nation after successful landing of the Chandrayan 3 on the south pole of the moon as on 23 Aug 23.

Aditya-L1 will travel a total of 1.5 million km (932,000 miles) distance from the Earth towards the Sun to reach at a point called as Lagrange point( L1). It’s the point where the spacecraft will will just over free from the influence of the gravitational pull from any of the celestial body such as the Sun and and the earth. Here it will locate and study the Sunn,s Corona, Chromosphere, Photo Sphere and study details about the particle flux emanating, and variation of the solar magnetic field by continuously observing the Sun, even during an eclipse. Aditya-L1 will take several rotation around the Earth before being launched towards L1. After reaching at L1 the spacecraft will enter into the designated orbit to rotate around the Sun with the same speed as that of the Earth and that to with minimal of fuel requirement. Hence the mission is renamed as Aditya-L1. Aditya, the mission to the Sun is named after the Sun’s name as Aditya in Hindu culture.

ISRO scientists announced the successful launch of the spacecraft and estimated the timeline that it will take around four months to travel that far and reach the L1 point in the space.

Indepth analysis of Aditya L1

The spacecraft carries a orbiter which carries seven scientific instruments for observing the solar corona (the outermost layer), the photosphere (the visible part of the sun) and the chromosphere (a thin layer in between photosphere and the corona). The mission resolves the questions to understand how solar wind and solar flares arise, and their effect on Earth and near-space weather in real time. The sun which constantly influence the weather of the Earth and the nearby space weather influencing the satellite function. Hence, this mission will enhance the study of the influence of the solar effect on the space weather and study the role of the solar winds and solar flares in controlling the weather in the vicinity and helps in control measures beforehand.

ISRO scientists announced the successful launch of the spacecraft and estimated the timeline that it will take around four months to travel that far and reach the L1 point in the space. After Aditya-L1 reaches its destination; it will benefit not only India, but also to the world aspiring scientific exploration of the Sun.

The probable cost incurred in this mission is around 3.78bn rupees ($46m)

India has placed around 50 satellites in space and and approximately 10,290 satellites remain in the Earth’s orbit, with nearly 7,800 of them currently operational by the whole world providing the globe various information about the weather, communication, prediction of future natural calamities like rain, storm, cyclone, etc.

>Aditya L1 will help us better understand solar wind or a solar eruption in before hand , and will help us in moving our satellites to safer space position.

With Aditya-L1 is success, India will join the group of countries that are already studying the Sun like Japan, USA etc.

What are the other Solar Missions by other countries ?

Japan launched a mission in 1981 to study solar flares.
USA -NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) have been watching the Sun since the 1990s.In 2020, Nasa and ESA jointly launched a Solar Orbiter.
in 2021, NASA’s spacecraft Parker Solar Probe made history by becoming the first to fly through corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun.

What is the name of the launching vehicle of the Aditya L1

-The Launching vehicle of the Aditya L1 mission is PSLV-C57

What are the Objectives of Aditya L1

The major objectives of Aditya-L1 mission are:

Studying the solar Corona: Aditya-L1 will help on studying the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere called the corona. This will help scientists better understand various phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can have significant effects on Earth’s space environment.

Remote monitoring of Solar Activity: The mission will continuously monitor the Sun’s surface and activity over there, helping in prediction of solar storms and their potential impacts on our sat communication systems, navigation, and power grids on Earth surface.

Understanding solar Magnetic field: Aditya-L1 will investigate the Sun’s magnetic field and its influence on solar processes. This knowledge is very important for understanding processes in solar surface and its consequences on our planet.

Advancing space technology: The mission shows India’s progress as well as achievement in space technology, as it involves advanced instruments and satellite technology to gather data from a unique point (L1) closer to the Sun.

Also, the followings are the main focus is behind the Aditya L1 mission

To study of Solar upper atmospheric such as chromosphere and corona.
To study of chromospheric and coronal heating, processes behind the partially ionized plasma, process of initiation of the coronal mass ejections, and flares
TO observe the particle and plasma environment in Sun providing data for the study of particle dynamics.
Process of solar corona and heating mechanism.
Testing of the coronal and coronal loops plasma phenomena: temperature, velocity and density.
Origin, processes in of Coronal Mass Ejection(CMEs).
Identification of processes that occur at various layers (chromosphere, base and extended corona) which eventually leads to solar eruption.
measurement of magnetic field and type of magnetic field in corona.
Factors for space weather change.

What are the Payloads in Aditya-L1?

There are total seven payloads on Aditya-L1 spacecraft with four of them carrying out remote sensing of the Sun and three of them carrying observation at L1.

Remote Sensing Payloads

VELC-Visible Emission Line Coronagraph(For Corona/Imaging & Spectroscopy)
SUIT-Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (For Photosphere and Chromosphere Imaging- Narrow & Broadband)
SoLEXS-Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (Soft X-ray spectrometer: for observation of Sun-as-a-star)
HEL1OS-High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer(Hard X-ray spectrometer: for observation of Sun-as-a-star)

In-situ Payloads

ASPEX-Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment( to study Solar wind, particle analyzer Protons & heavier ions with directions).
PAPA-Plasma Analyser Package For Aditya (To Solar wind/particle analyzer electrons & heavier ions with directions)
Advanced Tri-axial High Resolution Digital Magnetometers- For onsite measurement of magnetic field.