India's Aditya-L1 Sun Mission's VELC Payload to Deliver 1,440 Daily Solar Images for Analysis

A mission set to launch on September 2, 2023, India's Aditya-L1 spacecraft aims to unlock the secrets of the Sun with its Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) payload. 

This endeavor, led by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in collaboration with ISRO, promises to send 1,440 solar images daily to Earth for scientific analysis.

Aditya-L1, India's maiden space-based mission to study the Sun, will be carried into orbit by the PSLV-C57 rocket. It boasts seven specialized payloads, four of which will observe solar light while the remaining three measure plasma and magnetic field parameters. Positioned at the Lagrangian Point 1 (L1), 1.5 million kilometers from Earth in the Sun's direction, Aditya-L1 will continuously monitor our star.

Dr. Muthu Priyal, Aditya L1 Project Scientist, explained that from the imaging channel, one image per minute will be sent to Earth, totaling approximately 1,440 images daily. The IIA will host the VELC Payload Operations Centre (POC), processing raw data from ISRO's Indian Space Science Data Centre (ISSDC) for scientific analysis and dissemination.

Unique software developed by IIA will automatically detect solar events like coronal mass ejections, providing crucial information about their direction, energy, and potential impact on Earth within 24 hours.

The 190 kg VELC payload is expected to deliver images for the satellite's nominal five-year lifespan, but its longevity depends on fuel consumption and other factors. The first images are anticipated by February-end.

To prevent cross-contamination, VELC's shutter will be opened last, ensuring its super-polished primary mirror remains pristine. This mirror enables VELC to capture high-resolution solar corona images closer to the Sun's disc than any other solar observatory, addressing fundamental questions about solar astrophysics and its real-world impact.

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