The Aditya L1 and Proba-3 missions are set to collaborate on joint solar observations starting in the second quarter of 2025, marking a significant milestone in international solar research. Both missions bring unique capabilities and complementary instruments to the table, focusing on studying the Sun’s corona and related phenomena.

Key Highlights of the Missions:

  1. Aditya L1:
    • Launched in September 2023 by ISRO, Aditya L1 is India’s first dedicated solar mission.
    • Positioned at the Lagrange Point 1 (L1), it provides continuous observations of the Sun, specifically targeting phenomena like coronal heating, solar wind dynamics, and magnetic field structures.
    • Its primary instrument for corona studies is the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), which blocks the Sun’s central light to study its outer regions.
  2. Proba-3:
    • Developed by ESA, Proba-3 was launched in December 2023 and is the first dual-satellite mission designed for precision formation flying.
    • One satellite carries an occulter disk to block the Sun, while the other hosts the ASPIICS coronagraph, enabling highly detailed imaging of the Sun’s corona.
    • Proba-3 aims to observe regions of the corona as close as 1.08 solar radii from the Sun, an area difficult to study with traditional instruments.

The Joint Solar Observation Campaign:

  • The collaboration between Aditya L1 and Proba-3 was discussed at the Science Working Team (SWT) meeting in Chennai, with participants from ISRO and ESA. The focus was on planning observation campaigns and leveraging the complementary capabilities of both missions.
  • Coronagraphic Focus: Both missions carry instruments (VELC and ASPIICS) designed for studying the corona. By working together, they can observe overlapping regions of the solar corona and generate more detailed, synchronized datasets.
  • Aditya L1 will provide continuous, long-term monitoring of solar activities, while Proba-3’s formation-flying technology enables eclipse-like observations for detailed, close-up studies of the inner corona.

Current Status of Proba-3:

  • Post-launch, Proba-3 is in its commissioning phase, with its twin satellites undergoing calibration and orientation tracking.
  • Initial operations are expected to commence by February-March 2024, with payloads like the Digital Absolute Radiometer (DARA) starting measurements of total solar irradiance.
  • The coronagraph and occulter satellites are planned to separate by early 2025 to begin independent observations.

Significance of the Collaboration:

  1. Enhanced Solar Data: Joint campaigns will enable synchronized observations of solar events like coronal mass ejections (CMEs), advancing our understanding of space weather.
  2. Global Cooperation: This partnership reflects the growing trend of international collaboration in space science, pooling resources and expertise for shared goals.
  3. Technological Milestone: Proba-3’s formation flying and Aditya L1’s advanced instruments represent cutting-edge approaches to solar research.

These joint observations will likely generate transformative insights into the Sun’s corona and its impact on the solar system. Are you particularly curious about any specific aspect of solar research, such as its influence on Earth or the technological innovations in these missions?