Govt to launch satellite Aditya to study Sun

New Delhi, Feb 27: The Indian government has said that it plans to launch a satellite to study the outmost region of the sun. Disclosing this in a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Prithviraj Chavan said that the satellite Aditya would be launched sometime this year.

He said, "Aditya would carry an instrument intended to study the Corona. It would also study the coronal mass ejection and the crucial physical parameters of space weather, such as, the coronal magnetic field structures and evolution of the coronal magnetic field. The mission is intended to enhance the scientific knowledge of the sun's radiation and the continuous monitoring of the sun's atmosphere. This data will also help to design the satellites to withstand adverse effects of solar environment", he added. ISRO has informed that the launch of Aditya will help in knowing about the 'solar maximum' a phase of high solar dynamism, which will occur in 2012.

ANI