On Monday, the Chandrayaan-2, onboard its powerful rocket GSLV-MkIII-M1, was successfully launched from Sriharikota and placed in the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), with the aim of exploring the unchartered south pole of the celestial body.
ISRO next plans the launch to its solar mission, Aditya-L1, by the first half of 2020.
The ISRO Sun mission aims to study the Sun’s corona, the outer layers of the Sun, which extends to thousands of kilometers.
ISRO stated while sharing information on the Aditya-L1 mission on its website.
How the corona gets heated to such high temperatures is still an unanswered question in solar physics
ISRO also aims to make Aditya-L1 provide observations of the Sun’s photosphere and chromosphere, along with the corona.
Under the ISRO Sun mission, moreover, particle payloads which will be placed outside the interference from the Earth’s magnetic field will study the particle flux issuing from the Sun. These payloads would not be of use in the low earth orbit.
It is 1.5 million kilometres from the Earth. It will always look at the Sun and give analysis of the corona because it has a major impact on climate change – K. Sivan, Chairperson, ISRO
Moreover, an interplanetary mission to Venus in the next 2-3 years is underway, according to ISRO.
