India’s first dedicated solar mission, Aditya L1, has successfully completed a crucial maneuver to insert itself into a halo orbit around the Lagrange Point 1 (L1). The L1 point is located about 1.5 million kilometers from the Earth, directly between the Sun and the Earth, and will allow Aditya L1 to continuously observe solar activities.
Aditya L1 Reaches Key Milestone After Launch in 2022
Aditya L1 was launched in February 2022 aboard India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). After launch, it journeyed for over a year to reach the L1 point.
On January 6th, 2023, the spacecraft fired its engines to enter the final halo orbit around L1. The insertion maneuver was completed successfully under the guidance of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Key Details About the Aditya L1 Mission:
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Launch Date | February 26, 2022 |
| Launch Vehicle | PSLV-C57 |
| Orbited Body | Sun |
| Destination | Lagrange Point 1 |
| Final Orbit | Halo Orbit around L1 |
| Key Instrument | Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VEDC) |
Aditya L1 to Study Solar Coronas and Storms
Now that it has reached its intended orbit, Aditya L1 can start its primary science operations. The main goal of the mission is to study the outer layers of the Sun, or solar coronas.
Some key phenomena Aditya L1 will observe:
- Properties of the solar corona
- Onset of coronal mass ejections
- Characteristics of solar storms and winds
These observations are expected to significantly expand our understanding of the Sun’s effects on the Earth’s climate and environment.
The data will be useful for space weather forecasting agencies across the world. Aditya L1 carries a special instrument called the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) to study the corona.
Insertion Maneuver Completes India’s Mission to Observe the Sun
The successful orbital insertion marks the culmination of India’s decades-long quest to send a spacecraft for solar studies. Earlier attempts in 1964 and 1981 failed.
Aditya L1 builds on the heritage of another solar mission called Kalpana-1, which was lost in a launch failure.
With Aditya L1 now firmly bound in a halo orbit around L1, ISRO has completed an important milestone. Up next for the spacecraft is the tricky task of unveiling its instruments and telescopes to peer at the Sun’s corona from the halo orbit.
According to ISRO Chief S. Somanath:
“The insertion of the satellite in the halo orbit around the Langrangian point was a trickly but essentail maneuver. Our team has succeeded in all the operations as planned and the satellite is now ready to correlate science data which will be immensely helpful in analysing the mysteries of Sun’s corona”
Aditya L1 to Lead Solar Studies for Years Ahead
The ₹1700 crore Aditya L1 mission is designed to keep observing the Sun for several years from the L1 vantage point. Being perpetually outside the Earth’s shadow, the location allows continuous monitoring of the Sun.
The mission is a proof of India’s advanced capabilities in exploration and observation. Aditya L1 has already begun transmitting amazing images and data of the Sun.
Over the coming months and years, the mission will significantly add to human knowledge of Sun’s inner workings. The insights will help protect sensitive infrastructure on Earth and satellites in space from destructive solar storms.
Beyond Aditya L1, ISRO is also planning a follow-on mission called Aditya L1+ with even more advanced features. The success of Aditya L1 paves the way for regular Indian missions to observe the Sun.
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