[imagesource:unsplash]

India continues to solidify themselves as a key player in space exploration, with a new announcement this week to launch a space-based solar observatory on 2nd September.

This exciting development comes within days of the country making history as the first nation to successfully land a spacecraft on the uncharted southern pole of the moon.

In a recent announcement by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), details of the Aditya-L1 probe’s mission were unveiled, along with preliminary diagrams showing off the new spacecraft. Named after the Hindi word for the sun, Aditya will embark on a pioneering mission to study solar winds, which can lead to disruptions on Earth and are renowned for their luminous displays as auroras.

The launch of the Aditya-L1 will take place from Sriharikota, India’s primary spaceport. The probe is set to traverse a distance of approximately 1.5 million kilometres in order to get to its designated observation point. Easier said than done, as the spacecraft’s journey is planned to take four months in order to secure the correct positioning.

Once in the right spot, the spacecraft will be stationed in a halo orbit that provides an uninterrupted and comprehensive view of the big ol’ burning ball in the sky. This ‘live-stream-‘style set-up will allow scientists to engage in real-time monitoring of solar activities, according to ISRO:

“This will provide a greater advantage of observing the solar activities and its effect on space weather in real time.”

Aditya-L1 will carry seven sophisticated systems designed to study the sun’s outermost layers, encompassing the photosphere and chromosphere. These systems also include electromagnetic and particle field detectors, making the whole project a sophisticated contribution to understanding our galaxy.

🚀PSLV-C57/🛰️Aditya-L1 Mission:

The launch of Aditya-L1,
the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun ☀️, is scheduled for
🗓️September 2, 2023, at
🕛11:50 Hrs. IST from Sriharikota.

Citizens are invited to witness the launch from the Launch View Gallery at… pic.twitter.com/bjhM5mZNrx

— ISRO (@isro) August 28, 2023

While space agencies like NASA and the European Space Agency have previously launched missions to investigate the sun, this venture marks India’s first foray into solar observation.

India are clearly not playing around when it comes to casting a critical eye to the sky.

The Chandrayaan-3, aptly translating to “mooncraft” in Sanskrit, touched down on the moon’s surface last week, securing India’s place as the fourth nation to execute a successful lunar landing, joining the United States, Russia, and China.

What makes India’s various space programs all the more impressive is that they have managed to achieve a significant array of accomplishments on a relatively modest budget. The nation’s ability to adapt and refine existing technology, combined with its wealth of skilled engineers operating at lower wages compared to international counterparts, have been driving factors in India’s success.

That, and the country clearly is on a mission to be the stars (pun intended) of global space travel. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

India is showing no signs of slowing down their space exploration gees and the country continues to set ambitious plans in place. A three-day crewed mission into Earth’s orbit is on the table for next year, as well as a joint venture with Japan to send another probe to the moon by 2025, and an orbital mission to Venus within the next two years.

Siri, play “Here Comes The Sun” by the Beatles.

[source:news24]