India is set to launch its inaugural space-based solar observatory, the Aditya-L1, on September 2, following its recent achievement of successfully landing a spacecraft on the unexplored south pole of the moon, Al-Jazeera reports.
The announcement, made by India's space agency, reveals that the Aditya-L1 probe's mission will involve studying solar winds, which can lead to disturbances on Earth, such as auroras. The spacecraft will be named after the Hindi term for the sun. It will be launched from the primary spaceport in Sriharikota using the PSLV launch vehicle, covering a distance of approximately 1.5mn km (932,000 miles).
The journey to its observation point will take around four months, as per the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The spacecraft will be placed into a halo orbit that will provide a continuous unobstructed view of the sun, which will allow for real-time observation of solar activities and their impact on space weather. The ISRO indicated that the Aditya-L1 will carry seven payloads designed to observe the sun's outer layers, including the photosphere and chromosphere, using electromagnetic and particle field detectors.
https://twitter.com/isro/status/1696097793616793910While NASA and the European Space Agency have previously launched probes to study the sun, this marks India's first such endeavor. India's recent success with the Chandrayaan-3, an unmanned mooncraft, adds to the momentum of its space program. This achievement marked India as the fourth nation in history, following the United States, Russia, and China, to successfully land on the lunar surface.
India's space program operates with a relatively modest budget yet has managed to grow significantly in scope since its initial moon orbiting mission in 2008. Despite the modest budget—approximately $75mn for its latest lunar mission—India's innovative approach involves adapting and reengineering existing technology and capitalizing on a highly skilled engineering workforce that receives lower wages compared to their international counterparts.
With notable accomplishments like placing a craft in Mars' orbit in 2014 and plans to launch a crewed mission into Earth's orbit by the following year, India's space ambitions are on the rise. Future endeavors include a joint lunar mission with Japan by 2025 and an orbital mission to Venus within the next couple of years.
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