Aditya-L1 Mission

Source: Live Mint
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Overview

1. About Aditya-L1 Mission
2. About Sun

Why in the News?

Aditya L1, ISRO’s ambitious spacecraft successfully launched from Sriharikota.

• With this, India has taken the first step towards the completion of its Solar mission.

Source: ISRO

News in Brief

• Four months from now, the spacecraft will be successfully placed in its Halo orbit, L1, near the Sun.
• Soon after that, its seven payloads will come into action to find out answers to some of the most intriguing questions about the Sun.
• The primary goal is to understand why the Sun’s corona is astonishingly hot, reaching temperatures of up to 2 million degrees, in stark contrast to the relatively cooler surface of the Sun at around 5,000 degrees.
• Continuously observe the Sun for 24 hours a day, a feat not possible from Earth’s orbit, as the planet frequently obstructs the view.

About Aditya-L1 Mission

• Aditya-L1 is a satellite dedicated to the comprehensive study of the Sun.
  • Aditya in Sanskrit means the Sun.
• It has 7 distinct payloads developed, all developed indigenously.
• Five by ISRO and two by Indian academic institutes in collaboration with ISRO.

What is L1 Lagrange Point 1?

• L1 here refers to Lagrange Point 1 of the Sun-Earth system.
• For common understanding, L1 is a location in space where the gravitational forces of two celestial bodies, such as the Sun and Earth, are in equilibrium.
• This allows an object placed there to remain relatively stable with respect to both celestial bodies.

Schedule

• Aditya-L1 stays Earth-bound orbits for 16 days, during which it undergoes 5 maneuvres to gain the necessary velocity for its journey.
• Subsequently, Aditya-L1 undergoes a Trans-Lagrangian1 insertion maneuvre, marking the beginning of its 110-day trajectory to the destination around the L1 Lagrange point.
• Upon arrival at the L1 point, another maneuvre binds Aditya-L1 to an orbit around L1, a balanced gravitational location between the Earth and the Sun.
• The satellite spends its whole mission life orbiting around L1 in an irregularly shaped orbit in a plane roughly perpendicular to the line joining the Earth and the Sun.

How it will work?

• The strategic placement at the L1 Lagrange point ensures that Aditya-L1 can maintain a constant, uninterrupted view of the Sun.
• This location also allows the satellite to access solar radiation and magnetic storms before they are influenced by Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere.
• Additionally, the L1 point’s gravitational stability minimizes the need for frequent orbital maintenance efforts, optimizing the satellite’s operational efficiency.
• Aditya-L1 will stay approximately 1.5 million km away from Earth, directed towards the Sun, which is about 1% of the Earth-Sun distance.
• The Sun is a giant sphere of gas and Aditya-L1 would study the outer atmosphere of the Sun.
• Aditya-L1 will neither land on the Sun nor approach the Sun any closer.

About Sun

The Sun is the star at the center of our solar system, and it plays a fundamental role in the existence and sustenance of life on Earth.

Key facts about the Sun

• Composition
  • The Sun primarily consists of hydrogen (about 74% by mass) and helium (about 24% by mass).
  • Trace amounts of other elements are also present.
• Size
  • The Sun is enormous.
  • Its diameter is approximately 109 times that of Earth, and it could fit about 1.3 million Earths inside it.
  • It has a volume that could hold more than 1.3 million Earths.
• Structure
  • The Sun consists of several layers, including the core, radiative zone, convective zone, photosphere, chromosphere, and corona.
  • The core is where nuclear fusion reactions occur, generating immense heat and energy.
• Energy Source
  • The primary source of the Sun’s energy is nuclear fusion.
  • In the core, hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium through a process known as the proton-proton chain reaction.
  • This releases an enormous amount of energy in the form of light and heat.
• Energy Output
  • The Sun radiates energy in all directions, and the energy output is immense.
  • It produces about 386 billion billion megawatts of power.
• Light Travel Time
  • It takes approximately 8 minutes and 20 seconds for light from the Sun to reach Earth.
  • This means that when we look at the Sun, we are seeing it as it appeared over 8 minutes ago.
• Solar Activity
  • The Sun undergoes an 11-year cycle of solar activity known as the solar cycle.
  • During this cycle, the number of sunspots, solar flares, and solar radiation varies.
  • These variations can affect Earth’s climate and communication systems.
• Solar Eclipses
  • Solar eclipses occur when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking all or part of the Sun’s light.
  • Observing a solar eclipse requires special eye protection to prevent damage to the eyes.
• Importance to Earth
  • The Sun is vital to Earth’s climate, weather, and ecosystem.
  • It provides the energy necessary for photosynthesis in plants, which is the foundation of the food chain.
  • It also drives weather patterns and ocean currents.
• Future Evolution
  •  The Sun is about 4.6 billion years old and is currently a middle-aged star.
  • It is expected to continue burning hydrogen for several billion more years before eventually evolving into a red giant and later a white dwarf.

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