Aditya L1 Mission: India’s Solar Observatory gets down to business, starts collecting valuable data

India’s Solar Observatory, the Aditya L1 is already getting down to business even before it reaches its destination, the L1 or Lagrange Point 1The Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO put out a post on X earlier today with an update from the Supra Thermal & Energetic Particle Spectrometer (STEPS) instrument. As per ISRO, the STEPS instrument on board the Aditya-L1 has started collecting scientific data.In a press note that ISRO published, they explained that the Supra Thermal & Energetic Particle Spectrometer or STEPS instrument is a crucial component of the Aditya Solar Wind Particle EXperiment (ASPEX) payload.The STEPS instrument consists of a total of six sensors, each oriented in different directions, and is designed to measure supra-thermal and energetic ions, ranging from 20 keV/nucleon to 5 MeV/nucleon, along with electrons exceeding 1 MeV. These measurements are carried out using both low and high-energy particle spectrometers.The information gathered during the spacecraft's orbits around Earth plays a vital role in enabling scientists to analyze the behaviour of particles in the vicinity of our planet, particularly in the presence of Earth's magnetic field.The activation of STEPS occurred on September 10, 2023, at a distance exceeding 50,000 km from Earth. This distance equates to more than eight times the Earth's radius, placing it significantly beyond the Earth's radiation belt region. Following the successful completion of essential health checks for the instrument, the data collection process continued until the spacecraft had travelled beyond the 50,000 km mark from Earth.All units of STEPS are currently operating within normal parameters. A graphical representation illustrates the measurements, showcasing fluctuations in the energetic particle environment within Earth's magnetosphere, which were collected by one of the instrument's units.These ongoing STEPS measurements will persist throughout the cruise phase of the Aditya-L1 mission as it progresses toward its destination at the Sun-Earth L1 point. Once the spacecraft reaches its intended orbit, these measurements will continue. The data collected around L1 is expected to provide valuable insights into the origin, acceleration, and anisotropy of solar wind and space weather phenomena.The Aditya-L1, which was launched on September 2, 2023, is still a long way away from its final destination, the L1 point or Lagagrange Point 1. ISRO has calculated that the Aditya L1 will reach its destination somewhere around mid-January, about 12-15 January. When it reaches the L1 point, the Aditya Observatory will be about 1.5 million kilometres away from the Earth, and will be in orbit around a specific point.From this point, the Aditya L1 will have an unobstructed view of the Sun, and will be able to collect photos and other data to investigate the dynamics of the solar upper atmosphere, specifically the chromosphere and corona of the Sun. This includes examining the processes behind chromospheric and coronal heating, understanding the physics of partially ionized plasma, investigating the triggers for coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and studying solar flares.