how The Aditya-L1 Mission: Unveiling the Sun's Mysteries

How Aditya-L1 Mission: Unveiling the Sun’s Mysteries 2023

Aditya-L1, a pioneering mission, will be launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) with seven carefully selected payloads (instruments) on board. These payloads include the following: 1.VELC (Visible Emission Line Coronagraph) 2.Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) 3.Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) 4.Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) 5.High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) 6.Plasma Analyzer Package for Aditya (PAPA) 7.Advanced Tri-axial High-Resolution Digital Magnetometers The primary objective of the Aditya-L1 mission is to study various aspects of the Sun, including its corona, photosphere, chromosphere, solar emissions, solar winds, flares, and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). It will carry out continuous imaging of the Sun, providing invaluable insights into our star’s behavior. To accomplish this, ISRO plans to launch Aditya-L1 into the L1 orbit, situated approximately 1.5 million km from Earth. This orbit allows the spacecraft to maintain uninterrupted observations of the Sun. But what exactly is L1? L1, short for Lagrangian/Lagrange Point 1, is one of five points in the orbital plane of the Earth-Sun system. These Lagrange Points are positions in space where the gravitational forces of two celestial bodies, like the Sun and Earth, create regions of enhanced attraction and repulsion. Spacecraft strategically positioned at these points can significantly reduce fuel consumption required to stay in position. Notably, the L1 point is also home to the Solar and Helio spheric Observatory Satellite (SOHO), a collaborative project between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). One of the most critical payloads aboard Aditya-L1 is VELC (Visible Emission Line Coronagraph). This precision instrument, developed in India over 15 years, will play a pivotal role in unraveling the mysteries of solar astrophysics. VELC will facilitate studies on the temperature, velocity, and density of the corona, aiding our understanding of processes leading to corona heating, solar wind acceleration, space weather drivers, magnetic field analysis, as well as the cause of coronal mass ejections. Aditya-L1 is not the only mission aimed at exploring the Sun. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, part of the ‘Living with a Star’ program, is tracing energy and heat movement in the Sun’s corona and studying solar wind acceleration. The earlier Helios 2 Solar Probe ventured within 43 million km of the Sun’s surface in 1976. Solar Orbiter, a joint ESA-NASA mission, seeks to collect vital data on the Sun’s role in shaping the solar system’s space environment. Several other active spacecraft, including the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), WIND, Hinode, the Solar Dynamics Observatory, and Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), continue to monitor the Sun, contributing to our ever-growing knowledge of our star and its influence on our planet.

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Sulphur found on the moon by the rover Pragyan timesindia24.in

Sulphur found on the moon by the rover Pragian 2023

Following the release of data from a temperature-profiling instrument aimed at studying the lunar surface, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced a significant breakthrough. Another instrument aboard Chandrayaan-3, the lunar mission, has identified the presence of various elements on the Moon’s surface. Of note is the discovery of Sulphur, a crucial finding as direct evidence of its existence had previously been elusive. The accomplishment comes courtesy of the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) instrument housed within the Chandrayaan-3 Rover. Through this tool, a pioneering instance of in-situ measurements has been achieved, detailing the elemental composition of the lunar surface in the vicinity of the South Pole. ISRO expressed its satisfaction, stating, “These in-situ measurements confirm the presence of Sulphur (S) in the region unambiguously, something that was not feasible by the instruments onboard the orbiters.” Initial analysis has further unveiled the presence of Aluminium (Al), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), and Titanium (Ti) on the Moon’s surface. Additionally, subsequent measurements have exposed the existence of Manganese (Mn), Silicon (Si), and Oxygen (O). An ongoing comprehensive investigation aims to ascertain the presence of Hydrogen. The Chandrayaan-3 mission centres on acquiring insights into the presence and prevalence of diverse elements on the lunar surface. This objective is pursued through the concerted efforts of multiple instruments. The LIBS tool, crafted by ISRO’s Laboratory for Electro-Optics Systems (LEOS), employs a high-energy pulsar to generate plasma from rocks or soil. In this plasma state, elements emit distinct wavelengths of radiation, allowing for their precise identification. With this achievement, ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission takes a notable stride towards enhancing our understanding of the Moon’s composition and characteristics, shedding light on its geological history and evolution.

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