India to Launch Satellite to Study Sun

India is planning to launch a satellite to study the sun, the Lok Sabha [lower house of Parliament] was informed Wednesday [27 February].

Satellite "Aditya" will study the corona, the outermost region of the sun, and other crucial parameters of space weather, Minister of State [junior minister] in the Prime Minister’s Office Prithviraj Chavan said in a written reply.

The satellite will also study coronal mass ejections or solar flares, evolution and structures of coronal magnetic field.

The mission is intended to enhance scientific knowledge of sun’s radiation and continuous monitoring of its atmosphere, Chavan said.

The data generated will also help to design satellites to withstand adverse effects of solar environment, he said.

Sources said the 100-kg satellite is expected to be launched by 2012 and likely to be placed in a near-earth orbit of 600 km.

The sun’s corona is highly active, releasing energy during solar flares in the form of bursts manifesting as geomagnetic storms on earth. These storms can distort the earth’s magnetic field, and have a huge bearing on near-earth space where satellites are located. [Passage omitted]