Aditya-L1 Mission is India’s first solar mission planned by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Earlier the name was Aditya -1, which has been renamed as Aditya-L1 Mission.
It is ISRO’s second space-based astronomy mission after AstroSat for a scientific expedition to study the Sun. The mission was initially named Aditya 1 which was limited to observing only the solar corona.
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What is the Objective of Aditya L1 Mission?
The objective of Aditya L1 mission is to study Sun’s Corona, Chromosphere and Photosphere. In addition, it will study the particle flux emanating from Sun, and the variation of magnetic field strength.
About Aditya L1 Mission
Discussed below are important facts about the Aditya L1 Mission:
- It was launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) XL
- Unlike other missions lead by ISRO, Mission Aditya L1 comprises few moving components which may be a cause of collision in space
- Given below is a list of payloads which have been used for the mission:
- Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC)
- Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT)
- Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX)
- Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya
- Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS)
- High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS)
- Magnetometer
- The main objective of the Aditya L1 Mission is that it will help in tracking Earth-directed storms and predict its impact through solar observations
Visit the linked article and know more about the Satellite Launch Vehicle Program, under which Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) are two operational launch vehicles of India.
Why did ISRO Rename Aditya 1 Mission as Aditya L1 Mission?
Aditya-1 mission was planned for observing only the Corona of Sun. The reason behind Corona getting heated to very high temperatures is still a mystery in Solar Physics. Aditya -1 mission involved placing the satellite in 800 Km low earth orbit. Later ISRO planned to place the satellite in the halo orbit around the Lagrangian Point (L1). L1 is 1.5 Million Km from the Earth. This point provides the advantage of observing the Sun continuously without any disturbance. Hence the mission was renamed as Aditya L1 mission.
Which is the Launch Vehicle that will be Used to Launch Aditya L1 Mission?
The satellite will be launched by PSLV-XL launch vehicle from Sriharikota.
Refer to the links below and know about other important space missions:
| Chandrayaan Mission 2 | Chandrayaan – 1 |
| Mars Orbiter Mission | NASA and Axiom Space – Ax-1 Mission |
| NISAR Mission | NASA’s VIPER Mission |
Quick Facts about Aditya L1 for UPSC
The important details about Aditya L1 are mentioned in brief in the table below:
| When was the Aditya L1 mission originally announced? | In 2008, ISRO announced it by the name Aditya-1 |
| What is the significance of the Aditya L1 mission? | It is India’s first solar mission aimed to study Sun’s Corona |
| What is the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC)? | It is an internally occluded solar coronagraph capable of simultaneous imaging, spectroscopy, and spectro-polarimetry close to the solar limb. |
| Why was Aditya-1 mission changed to Aditya L1? | Earlier, the mission aimed to be launched 800 km LEO however, realizing that Halo Orbit around L1 will be more advantageous to capture the sun’s corona, it was changed to be called Aditya L1 |
| What is the weight of the Aditya L1 satellite? | 400 Kg |
| What are the observations expected from Aditya L1? | Observations on the following:
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Other Sun & Solar Missions
Apart from the Aditya L1 Mission by ISRO which is a sun-specific mission, there are many other countries which have launched similar programs. Given below are the names of few such missions:
- NASA’s Parker Solar Probe
- NASA’s Living With a Star
- NASA’s Helios 2
Relevant Links
Candidates can find the general pattern of the UPSC Civil Service Exam by visiting the IAS Syllabus page.
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