Aditya-L1, to be launched aboard ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on September 2, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, is the first space-based observatory-class Indian solar mission to study the Sun.
Imagine a spacecraft, stationed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange Point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, a staggering 1.5 million kilometers away from our planet. This unique orbit offers Aditya-L1 the remarkable privilege of an unobstructed, continuous gaze at the Sun. Shielded from the shadows of eclipses, it becomes the ultimate observatory, capturing the Sun’s dynamic activities.
By continuously observing the Sun from the vantage point of Aditya-L1, scientists hope to gain deeper insights into the mechanisms behind solar flares. The Aditya L-1 spacecraft is a 1,500 kg-class satellite and represents a specialised scientific mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
It aims to investigate the Sun’s characteristics from a halo orbit situated around L1 within the Sun-Earth system. This unique orbit at L1 ensures uninterrupted solar observations, unaffected by eclipses or occultation. Moreover, it offers a vantage point beyond Earth’s magnetic field, allowing for direct measurements of incoming charged particles.
The Lagrange Point 1 of the Sun-Earth system is located about 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth. It is expected to take more than 120 days for the spacecraft to reach L1.
A Lagrange Point is a location in space where the gravitational forces of two celestial bodies (in this case, Earth and the Sun) are perfectly balanced by the centripetal force needed for a small-sized object to move in unison with them.
Positioning a satellite within the halo orbit encircling the L1 point offers a significant benefit: unobstructed and continuous access to sunlight, free from any occurrences of occultation or eclipses. This advantage translates into an enhanced ability to monitor solar activities and their impact on space weather in real time.
Within four months, Aditya-L1 endeavors to traverse this cosmic expanse to reach its resplendent target, the Sun itself. In vivid contrast, the Parker Solar Probe, a creation of NASA, embarked on its odyssey in 2018 with an audacious goal – to “touch the Sun.” With cutting-edge instruments and a remarkable carbon-composite shield, this intrepid spacecraft defies the inferno, venturing within 3.9 million miles of the Sun’s blistering surface.
