The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is on a roll. In less than ten days after making history as the first space agency to execute a soft landing near the south pole of the Moon, ISRO is preparing to launch the Aditya-L1 solar probe on Saturday, September 2.
The mission is scheduled for launch at 11.50 am from the Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh.
The satellite will be positioned in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth system’s Lagrange point L1, located approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. It will require approximately four months to reach this Lagrange point. The advantage of placing the satellite in a halo orbit around L1 is that it allows for uninterrupted observation of solar activities, free from potential obstructions such as eclipses.
The Aditya L1 mission aims to examine solar winds and the Sun’s atmosphere. It will carry seven scientific instruments or payloads designed to observe different layers of the Sun, including the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost layer known as the corona. This mission will significantly contribute to our understanding of various solar phenomena, including coronal heating, coronal mass ejections, pre-flare and flare activities, as well as the dynamics of space weather and the propagation of particles and fields in the interplanetary medium.
This mission will be the first of its kind, dedicated to the comprehensive study and research of the Sun’s atmosphere, its surrounding environment, and all related aspects. The spacecraft, weighing 1,500 kilograms, will carry seven advanced instruments to investigate various regions of the Sun’s atmosphere. These instruments will provide invaluable insights into the impact of solar activity on the space between planets, shedding light on critical topics such as coronal heating, coronal mass ejections, pre-flare and flare activities, space weather dynamics, and the behaviour of particles and fields in this complex environment.
ISRO has extended an open invitation to the public to witness the launch of PSLC-C57 from the viewing gallery at Sriharikota. Interested individuals can register for this event at the lvg.shar.gov.in/VSCREGISTRATION website.