Aditya L1 Mission: Objectives, Significance & Challenges [UPSC Notes]

The Aditya L1 mission is India’s first observatory-class space-based solar mission. The mission will provide insight into the dynamic processes of the Sun and will address some outstanding issues in solar physics and heliophysics. The Aditya spacecraft will be placed in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth system’s first Lagrange point or L1 Point. When a satellite orbiting the L1 point has the significant advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without occultation or eclipse.

This topic of the Aditya L1 Mission’ is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination which falls under General Studies Paper 3 (Mains) and General Studies Paper 1 (Preliminary) and particularly in the Science and Technology section of the UPSC Exam. In this article, we shall discuss the ‘Aditya L1 Mission’ and learn about India’s 1st observatory-class space-based solar mission, its Objectives, Significance & More!

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What is Aditya L1 Mission?

Aditya L1 is a coronagraphy spacecraft designed and built by the ISRO and other Indian research institutions to study the solar atmosphere. Aditya-L1 is India’s first space-based solar observatory mission, and it is scheduled to launch in March 2023 using the PSLV-XL launch vehicle. Aditya L1 will be ISRO’s second space-based astronomy mission in India, following the launch of AstroSat in 2015. The Aditya L1 spacecraft will be placed in a halo orbit around the first Lagrange point or L1 of the Sun-Earth system. The Lagrangian Point (L1) is 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth.

Here are some key facts and figures about Aditya L1 Mission for the UPSC Exam:

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Background of Aditya L1 Mission

In January 2008, the Advisory Committee for Space Research proposed the Aditya mission. The Aditya mission was originally planned as a small 400 kg (880 lb) low-Earth orbiting satellite designed with a coronagraph to study the solar corona. In the fiscal year 2016-2017, the Indian government set aside an experimental budget of 3 crore INR for the Aditya mission. The objectives of the Aditya mission have since been expanded, and it is now intended to be a comprehensive observatory of the solar and space environments located at the Lagrange point L1. Thus, the mission was renamed “Aditya-L1.” The mission has a budget of 378.53 crores, excluding launch costs, as of July 2019. Aditya was initially conceptualized in January 2008 by the Advisory Committee for Space Sciences (ADCOS).

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Objectives of Aditya L1 Mission

The Aditya L1 coronagraphy spacecraft’s primary objective is to investigate the Sun’s photosphere, chromosphere, and corona. It will also investigate the following:

• To explore Coronal Heating and Solar Wind Acceleration.
• To analyze the coupling and dynamics of the solar atmosphere.
• To investigate the particle flux emitted by the Sun.
• To examine solar wind distribution and temperature anisotropy.
• To observe the origins of Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), solar flares, and near-Earth space weather.

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Payloads of Aditya L1 Mission

According to the ISRO, the following payloads will be used for the mission Aditya L1:

• Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA): To study the composition and energy distribution of solar wind.
• Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC): It can perform spectral imaging of the corona in visible and infrared wavelengths and studies the solar corona’s diagnosing parameters as well as the dynamics and origin of coronal mass ejections.
• Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX): Its purpose is to investigate the variation and properties of the solar wind, as well as its distribution and spectral properties.
• Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS): It is used to study the enigmatic coronal heating mechanism of the solar corona by monitoring X-ray flares.
• High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS): It is used to observe dynamic events in the solar corona and estimate the energy required to accelerate solar energetic particles during eruptive events.
• Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT): It will provide full disc images of different layers of the solar atmosphere by using 11 filters to observe the Sun between 200-400 nm wavelength range.
• Magnetometer: It is used to determine the strength and nature of the interplanetary magnetic field.

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Significance of Aditya L1 Mission

The Aditya L1 mission thus holds the following importance:

• The Sun is an important body at the center of our solar system; its physical characteristics significantly influence the performance of all other objects within it. Thus learning more about the Sun augments our understanding of many dynamics in our cosmic neighborhood.
• Solar phenomena such as flares and coronal mass ejections have the ability to alter the outer space environment on the Earth. Understanding these phenomena is important for foreseeing and minimizing disruption to communication systems, navigation, and power grids.
• By gaining insights into the Sun's more complicated behavior, such as its magnetic field, heating mechanisms, and plasma dynamics, we are also assisting the progress of fundamental physics and astrophysics.
• The Sun is an excellent natural fusion reactor; understanding the core and nuclear reactions of the Sun can help us to develop clean and sustainable fusion energy here on Earth.
• Solar radiation and solar wind play a role in the operation of satellites and spacecraft. A thorough understanding of these solar interactions leads to improved spacecraft design and operation.

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Challenges in Aditya L1 Mission

The following are some of the challenges that Aditya L1 Mission may face:

• The Sun is roughly 15 billion kilometers from Earth and causes a scientific challenge.
• Previous ISRO missions’ payloads were mostly immobile in orbit due to the risks involved.
• The Aditya L1 mission will include some moving parts, increasing the probability of a collision.
• Extremely high temperatures and solar radiation are two major concerns.

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Other Missions to the Sun

Apart from ISRO’s Aditya L1 Solar Mission, which is a sun-specific mission, many other countries have launched similar programmes. Some examples of such missions are listed below:

• NASA’s Parker Solar Probe: It is a NASA space probe that was launched in 2018 with the mission of studying the Sun’s outer corona.
• NASA’s Living With a Star: It is a NASA Program that conducts missions to learn more about how and why the Sun varies, as well as how the Earth and Solar System react to it.
• NASA’s Helios 2: It is a spacecraft that was launched as part of a pair of probes to study solar processes. The primary mission of this spacecraft was to measure the interplanetary medium between Earth’s orbit and 0.3 AU.

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UPSC Previous Year Questions

Q1. Launched on 25th December 2021, James Webb Space Telescope has been much news since then. What are its unique features which make it superior to its predecessor Space Telescopes? What are the key goals of this mission? What potential benefits does it hold for the human race? (UPSC Mains 2022, GS Paper 3).

Q2. India has achieved remarkable successes in unmanned space missions including the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter Mission, but has not ventured into manned space missions, both in terms of technology and logistics. Explain critically (UPSC Mains 2017, GS Paper 3).