Solar activity has been on the rise, with frequent solar storms impacting not only the Earth but also space missions. Recently, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe successfully flew through an intense coronal mass ejection (CME) cloud, a significant milestone for the spacecraft. While the incident provided valuable scientific data, concerns arise about the upcoming ISRO Aditya-L1 mission and its potential vulnerability to similar events.
The Parker Solar Probe, launched in 2018, was designed to observe the outer corona of the Sun. One of its main objectives was to study CMEs and their interaction with planetary dust in orbit around the Sun. Moreover, understanding space weather and its impact on satellites and communication systems was crucial. CMEs, massive eruptions from the Sun’s corona, can pose serious threats to various technologies on Earth.
During the encounter with the CME, the Parker Solar Probe confirmed the displacement of planetary dust, providing evidence that CMEs can carry dust particles up to 6 million kilometers away. This marks the first confirmation of this theory and highlights the challenges of assessing dust displacement from a distance.
The acquired data from the Parker Solar Probe will contribute to improving space weather forecasting. However, concerns arise regarding the Aditya-L1 mission, which is on its way to the Lagrange 1 point to observe the Sun. The mission will coincide with the peak of the solar cycle, exposing the spacecraft to high solar activity.
Although fears of a CME impacting the Aditya-L1 exist, two factors may mitigate the risk. First, the spacecraft will be stationed at a safe distance of 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, unlike the Parker Solar Probe’s close proximity to the Sun. Second, the Aditya-L1 has been reinforced with specialized alloys and materials to withstand extreme radiation and other space hazards, including CME clouds.
As the Aditya-L1 mission reaches its destination and observes the Sun, its survival and the data it gathers will enhance our understanding of solar storms and other solar activities. The information collected may further advance space weather forecasting capabilities.
Эх сурвалж:
– NASA Blog Post
- Астрофизикийн сэтгүүл