Aditya-L1 to carry unique payload to study Sun’s corona

Aim is to understand activities such as solar flares, electromagnetic effects and forewarn scientists on disturbances occuring in outer space weather

- BALA CHAUHAN

ADITYA-L1, India’s first dedicated scientific mission to stu dy the Sun, scheduled for launch at 11.50am Saturday from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota SHAR), will carry the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph VELC), a unique” payload to study the Sun’s corona. Developed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics IIA), Bengaluru, VELC will capture the Sun as though it is in total solar eclipse”, ITA Director Annapurni Subramaniam told TNIE in an exclusive chat, while on her way to SHAR on Friday evening.

Besides Visible Emission Line Coronagraph, Aditya-L1 will carry six other payloads SUIT Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope, ASPEX-Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment, PAPA Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya, SoLEXS Solar Low Energy X-Ray Spectrometer, HEL10S-High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer, Magnetometer) with enhanced science scope and objectives possible by extensive remote and in-situ observation of the Sun.