The Indian Aditya L1 mission and the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission will begin simultaneous solar observations from 2025. This collaboration is a major step forward in solar studies, using new techniques to gain insights into the outer atmosphere of the sun and the phenomena occurring in it.
Aditya L1 is India’s first dedicated sun mission, which was initiated in September 2023. The spacecraft has been positioned at the Lagrange Point 1 (L1), about 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, since January 2024. From this perspective, Aditya L1 continuously observes the Sun corona through the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC). The VELC instrument casts a shadow of the Sun’s bright glare to enable an observation of the outer stratosphere, and other features of the solar system’s closest star.
Proba-3, launched by ESA in December 2023, is an experimental mission to observe the solar corona, by deploying two spacecraft in precision formation flying to simulate an eclipse. The mission's primary instrument, the Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun (ASPIICS), offers a detailed view of the Sun's outer and inner corona. ASPIICS is furnished with a 1.4 meters occulting disk so that observations could be made in the 3 to 1.08 solar radius range.
Joint Solar Observations: A Collaborative Effort
The collaboration between Aditya L1 and Proba-3 aims to leverage their shared technology—coronagraphs—to conduct joint solar observation campaigns. Taking advantage of the synergism of both missions, researchers expect to comprehensively study the solar activity, such as solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and solar wind1. The proposed observations will be advantageous both for the Indian and ESA science teams who will be able to establish collaboration in the frame of space exploration.
Indian and ESA solar physicists have recently discussed the details of their solar observation campaign in the Science Working Team (SWT) meeting held in Chennai. These included mainly the observation coordination and the optimization of the scientific yield of the partnership. The time windows for observations by Proba-3 are specific, and it will be possible to synchronise them with Aditya L1 since their missions complement each other.
Future Prospects
The joint solar observations should start sometime in the second quarter of 2025 while calibration and commissioning have started already. The meet means a monumental push forward in solar work, as it offers crucial information that will be beneficial in the general study of the Sun and the effect it has on our world. As the missions progress, scientists expect to obtain new data that could help expand humanity’s understanding of solar physics and support the development of accurate models for space weather.
Aditya L1: India's Maiden Solar Mission
Aditya L1 is India’s first dedicated science mission to the Sun putting India into a special class of solar observing nations in its space exploration journey. Aditya L1 was launched on September 2, 2023, by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and is meant to collect important information regarding the solar atmosphere and its activities.
- Mission Objectives: The primary objectives of Aditya L1 include studying the dynamics of the Sun's chromosphere and corona, understanding coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and investigating the origins of solar flares. Studying these gazes scientists wish to understand more about the activity of the Sun and its influence in space climate which otherwise can interfere with satellite signals and even power supplies in our planet.
- Key Instruments: L1 which is the first point of Aditya has seven unique instrument payloads aimed at understanding various characteristics of the Sun. One of the primary instruments is the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), which, by masking the Sun’s disk, lets researchers study its outer atmosphere. Other instruments include the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), which takes images of the sun in near ultraviolet wavelength and the Solar Wind Ion experiment (SWIS) which aims at measuring properties of solar wind particles.
- Strategic Positioning: Aditya L1 is located at the Lagrangian point 1 also known as the L1, which is a position that lies around 1.5 million of kilometres away from the earth. This position is ideal for constant observation of the Sun without occurrence of any occultation or eclipses. L1 point is also used to facilitate observation of solar radiation, as well as magnetic storms prior to their impact on the Earth and in order to improve space weather predictions.
- Scientific Contributions: Severely after its successful injection into the orbit around L1 in January 2024, Aditya L1 has been fruitful in its endeavour towards the exploration of the Sun. The mission has revealed new details about coronal mass ejections, including the phenomenon of coronal dimming, where certain areas of the Sun's atmosphere become significantly less bright due to the ejection of solar material. These findings allow scientists to improve their knowledge of the outer layers of the sun and their effects towards the interplanetary medium.
Proba-3
Proba-3, the mission, was launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in December 2023, and it consists of two satellites that create ultra-precise constellation flying to study Sun’s corona. This mission aims to provide unprecedented views of the Sun's outer atmosphere, offering valuable insights into solar phenomena and space weather.
Mission Objectives: Proba-3 is designed to achieve its primary scientific goal by positioning two satellites in an appropriate alignment to simulate a solar eclipse. These were accomplished by aligning the Coronagraph Spacecraft (CSC) and the Occulter Spacecraft (OSC) in order to block light onto the CSC as with a total solar eclipse. Such an arrangement will enable it to maintain an unbroken observation of the sun’s delicate corona for up to six hours on each orbit that can be approximately 50 natural solar eclipses in every year.
Key Instruments: Proba-3’s primary payload, the Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation for the Corona of the Sun (ASPIICS), is a 1.4 meters, diameter coronagraph. This instrument will capture high-resolution images of the Sun's corona, providing detailed views of its structure and dynamics. The mission also has advanced propulsion and fixation sensors and control systems in commanding the motion of the spacecraft.
Technological Innovations: Proba-3 is the first ESA formation flying mission that specifically focuses on the implementation of accurate formation flying technologies between two satellites in a fixed formation configuration. This mission operates at orbital altitudes and confirms the effectiveness of newly developed control algorithms alongside metrology sensors for future missions. Proba-3 is expected to lay the groundwork for other more advanced formation-flying projects while improving knowledge of the Sun’s corona.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) constitutes to a novel icon of the Indian Space Technology and Research. ISRO was set up in 1969 and since then, it has helped to carve out a place for India in the space nations. A organisation’s vision is the achievement of the nation’s objectives in space technology innovation for national development, space science & planetary exploration.
Mission and Achievements
ISRO major objectives are to facilitate space technology development and its applications for all types of national endeavours. ISRO has yielded many milestones that have been recognised and appreciated all over the world for the years. It has timed and again achieved remarkable feat among which the Mars Orbiter Mission-Mangalyaan, in which India became first nation to put its spacecraft into the orbit around Mars in the first attempt in 2014. Hence this mission established India’s ISRO in the league of space exploration and the ability to do interplanetary missions while still confirming to the ethos of availability of space missions at relatively cheap cost.
Second, there are the Chandrayaan Missions India has launched rockets and satellites for its own and other countries’ uses. Chandrayaan-1, launched in 2008, was India’s first lunar mission during which traces of water was found on the moon. Chandrayaan-2, launched in 2019 intended to expand and deepen the prospects of the exploration of the lunar south pole, but it was only partially successful, however, it must be seen as a rich resource of information on the prognosis of the future expeditions.
Satellite Programs
ISRO’s communication satellite programs have filled the need for communication, meteorology, and navigation systems in India. INSAT and NavIC, IRNSS have improved over Indian abilities in regard to the meteorological prognosis, disaster control, and direction. The improved infrastructure in communications is witnessed by recent successful launched satellites such as GSAT-29 and GSAT-30.
European Space Agency (ESA)
The European Space Agency or ESA is an independent and a cooperation of European countries intending for space research. ESA was founded in 1975 as an independent intergovernmental space agency, which is responsible for elaborating European space policies and plans together with 22 member countries in order to maintain Europe’s strong position in space business. ESA’s objective is to direct the evolvement of Europe’s capability in space, guaranteeing that the spending on space stays on delivering on value for Europe and the people of the world.
Mission and Vision
ESA has numerous objectives where the core activities tackle space science, observation of the Earth system, satellite navigation, and human space exploration. The agency continues to adapt to find new possibilities for further space discovery while also working hard to strengthen cooperation with countries to expand the range and depth of scientific discovery and the development of new technologies. The vision of ESA is the advancement of the state of life in our planet through space activity and the following of science and technology.
Key Achievements
ESA has many successful missions in history, which gave the humanity a great part of its knowledge about the Universe. One of its most notable achievements is the Rosetta mission, which in 2014 successfully landed the Philae probe on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, marking a first in space exploration. Mars Express mission is one of the best achievements also it has been orbiting Mars starting in the year 2003 and giving useful information about the Martian atmosphere and terrain.
The Gaia mission that started in 2013 is designed to provide the three- dimensional survey of our galaxy the Milky Way to better understand the formation and development processes of the galaxy. Similarly, Sentinel, as a part of the Copernicus program, is also used for environmental control system and climate change analysis.
Collaborative Efforts
ESA has other spaces agency partners that include but not limited to NASA, Roscosmos, and ISRO and as a result of this collaboration, ESA enjoys hi-tech partners and international cooperation is strong. That’s why such partnerships help ESA implement multifaceted and goal-oriented projects focused on collective assets and innovations.