ISRO Launches Historic Solar Mission ‘Aditya L1’ To Study The Sun
Chennai, 2nd September 2023: The Indian Space Organization (ISRO) achieved another historic milestone today as it launched the nation’s maiden solar mission, ‘Aditya L1,’ following the recent success of a ‘soft landing’ on the Moon.
As the 23.40-hour countdown concluded, the towering 44.4-meter Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) majestically ascended into the sky at precisely 11:50 am from the Sriharikota spaceport, located approximately 135 km from Chennai, according to officials.
This mission marks the “longest flight” for the PSLV, lasting approximately 63 minutes.
‘Aditya-L1,’ as described by ISRO, stands as the premier space-based observatory devoted to studying the Sun. The spacecraft will be positioned into a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point ‘L1’ after embarking on a 125-day journey covering approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. Its primary mission is to scrutinize various solar phenomena.
ISRO officials reveal that following the launch, Aditya-L1 will orbit Earth for about 16 days. During this period, it will undergo five stages of acceleration to approach the Sun. Subsequently, it will traverse toward the Sun for 110 days, maintaining a specified distance to observe the star.
At the Lagrange point, the simultaneous gravitational forces of the Sun and Earth enable satellites to remain stationary, offering a unique vantage point for Aditya-L1 to study space’s atmosphere, weather, and the Sun’s impact on it.
PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission:
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.
— ISRO (@isro) September 2, 2023
The Aditya L1 vehicle is equipped with seven specialized payloads designed to provide in-depth observations of different solar layers, ranging from the photosphere to the outermost corona. Additionally, it will facilitate research on heliocentric phenomena like solar heating, solar flares, and solar storms.
Two primary payloads on Aditya L1 are the Visible Emission Line Coronagraphy (VELC) and the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT). Upon reaching the Lagrange point, the VELC payload will transmit 1,440 images daily, establishing its significance within Aditya-L1’s mission.
India previously made history by successfully achieving a ‘soft landing’ on the Moon’s South Pole region on August 23, making it the first and only country to accomplish such a feat thus far.
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