SPACE EXPLORATION
- MyCucoon
- Sep 8, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: Sep 8, 2023
ADITYA L1 Mission SUN
Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has accomplished the launch of Aditya-L1, its inaugural Solar Mission.
The launch was conducted using the PSLV-C57 rocket. The PSLV's fourth stage was fired twice, a first in ISRO's history, to precisely insert the spacecraft into its elliptical orbit.
What is Aditya-L1 Mission?
About:
Aditya-L1 is the first space based observatory class Indian solar mission to study the Sun from a substantial distance of 1.5 million kilometers. It will take approximately 125 days to reach the L1 point.
Aditya-L1 is also ISRO’s second astronomy observatory-class mission after AstroSat (2015).
The mission's journey is notably shorter than India's previous Mars orbiter mission, Mangalyaan.
The spacecraft is planned to be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system.
Objective:
The mission aims to provide valuable insights into the solar corona, photosphere, chromosphere, and solar wind.
The primary objective of Aditya-L1 is to gain a deeper understanding of the Sun's behavior, including its radiation, heat, particle flow, and magnetic fields, and how they impact Earth.
What is the Significance of Exploring the Sun?
Understanding Our Solar System: The Sun is the center of our solar system, and its characteristics greatly influence the behavior of all other celestial bodies. Studying the Sun enhances our understanding of the dynamics of our solar neighborhood.
Space Weather Prediction: Solar activities, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, can impact Earth's space environment.
Understanding these phenomena is crucial for predicting and mitigating potential disruptions to communication systems, navigation, and power grids.
Advancing Solar Physics: Exploring the Sun's complex behavior, including its magnetic fields, heating mechanisms, and plasma dynamics, contributes to advances in fundamental physics and astrophysics.
Enhancing Energy Research: The Sun is a natural fusion reactor. Insights gained from studying its core and nuclear reactions can inform our pursuit of clean and sustainable fusion energy on Earth.
Improving Satellite Operations: Solar radiation and solar wind affect the functioning of satellites and spacecraft. Understanding these solar interactions allows for better spacecraft design and operation.
What Chandrayaan's landing means for India India and the world -
1. India - We are now the world’s first country to land on the lunar south pole via Chandrayaan 3.
2. Also, India becomes the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on moon after the US, former Soviet Union and China.
3. What is the mission?
The mission is to explore the south pole of the moon, which has water reserves that could help make a permanent lunar base possible.
Upon landing (for the next 14 days or 1 Lunar Day), Chandrayaan-3 will conduct experiments to study both the moon's atmosphere and the surface (specifically the analysis of minerals / composition). The ultimate aim is study the feasibility for human habitation on the moon.
4. Why is it needed?
Habitation study is critical for setting up a Permanent Lunar base - which in itself is a need for both political & scientific reasons. Political need is to be ahead in the space race and establish space leadership & supremacy for India in this field.
And more importantly, crucial for research and experiments which can only be done in space - like study of radiation, mapping trajectories and feasibilities for future manned missions beyond the moon and Mars and so on. Hope that helps!
Why did Russia's Luna 25 Crash?
https://www.livemint.com/science/luna25-landers-crash-russian-space-agency-break-silence-on-cause-of-mishap-says-decades-of-inactivity-11692678818289.html
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