Who is Dr Sankarasubramanian K, the ISRO scientist heading Aditya-L1 solar mission

Dr Sankarasubramanian K is an experienced scientist specialising in solar studies at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru. He completed his PhD in Physics from Bangalore University through the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. His research focuses on areas like the Solar Magnetic field, Optics, and Instrumentation.

Dr Sankarasubramanian K has made significant contributions to various missions of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) including AstroSat, Chandrayaan-1, and Chandrayaan-2, taking on various roles. Presently, he leads the Space Astronomy Group (SAG) at URSC. This group is dedicated to creating scientific tools for upcoming missions such as Aditya-L1, XPoSat and the science payload for Chandrayaan-3's propulsion module.

Additionally, Dr. Sankarasubramanian K holds the role of Principal Investigator for one of the X-ray payloads aboard Aditya-L1. He also heads the Aditya-L1 Science Working Group, which is a collaborative effort involving experts from several Indian research institutes engaged in solar research.

Aditya L1 marks India's debut in solar exploration, developed collaboratively by ISRO and other Indian research institutions. This mission's purpose is to deeply study the Sun. The name ‘Aditya’ signifies the Sun in Sanskrit, while ‘L1’ points to a significant spot called Lagrange point 1, situated within the Sun-Earth system.

Once launched, Aditya L1 will be positioned in a halo orbit encircling the L1 point, found between the Earth and the Sun. This strategic location allows it to continuously observe the Sun's behaviour without any obstructions like eclipses.

According to ISRO, the spacecraft will carry advanced tools to study various layers of the Sun, including the photosphere and chromosphere. Electromagnetic and particle detectors will be employed for this purpose. Four payloads will directly observe the Sun from the unique viewpoint of L1, while the remaining three payloads will closely examine particles and fields at this Lagrange point, enhancing our understanding of solar phenomena.

The upcoming mission holds immense significance as it is aimed at unravelling the Sun's dynamic processes, shedding light on its characteristics. This research could even unravel some long-standing mysteries of solar physics and Heliophysics, which explore the intricate relationship between the Sun and the entire solar system.