INDIA'S NEW SPACE AMBITIONS

AFTER THE CHANDRAYAAN TRIUMPH, ISRO IS NOW EYEING THE SUN, VENUS AND A MANNED SPACEFLIGHT. MEANWHILE, INDIA'S FLEDGLING PRIVATE SPACE INDUSTRY IS RARING FOR A PIECE OF THE PIE

- RAJ CHENGAPPA

ADITYA L1 THE SOLAR MISSION

It is the first space-based Indian mission to study the Sun

The spacecraft will be placed in a halo orbit at the Lagrange Point 1 (L1)*, 1.5 million km from Earth

After launch in Sept. 2023, it will take four months to reach the orbit

Its life will be about five years, during which it will continuously view the Sun without any eclipses

THE OBJECTIVES

 The spacecraft will carry seven payloads to observe the Sun’s photosphere, chromosphere and corona, using electromagnetic, particle and magnetic field detectors

Will mainly study the problem of coronal heating, coronal mass ejection, pre-flare and flare activities and their characteristics

Having conquered the moon, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is now trying to find its