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Shillong, September 2: After successfully landing the Chandrayaan-3 mission on the Moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is now turning its sights toward the Sun with the ambitious Aditya L1 spacecraft.
The launch is scheduled to take place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on Saturday.
As per India Today, the Aditya L1 mission will ride atop India’s reliable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, first entering an elliptical Earth orbit before embarking on its journey to Lagrangian Point 1 (L1), a location approximately 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth.
Aditya-L1 represents India’s inaugural space-based observatory-class solar mission, dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of our nearest star, the Sun.
To achieve its scientific goals, the spacecraft is equipped with seven state-of-the-art payloads, meticulously designed to scrutinize various aspects of the Sun. These payloads include a range of electromagnetic and particle detectors, enabling the examination of the Sun’s photosphere, chromosphere, and the enigmatic corona.
While four of the payloads will provide direct observations of the Sun, the remaining three are designed for in-situ studies of particles and fields, all from the advantageous vantage point of L1.
The Sun holds a unique position among celestial objects as the closest star to our planet, affording the opportunity for in-depth exploration. Understanding the Sun not only sheds light on our own star but also provides insights into distant stars within the Milky Way and across galaxies.
The Sun, a dynamic celestial body, exerts influence far beyond its familiar appearance. It exhibits eruptive phenomena, releasing vast amounts of energy into the solar system. However, when directed at Earth, these solar outbursts can disrupt our near-Earth space environment, impacting spacecraft and communication systems. Timely warnings become crucial for mitigating these disturbances.