BY - srishti verma
Perfumes and sprays were a big "no" for scientists & engineers of Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)
It was the team working on the main payload of Aditya L-1 solar mission in Bengaluru
That's because even a single particulate matter could have disrupted the researchers' work to prepare Aditya’s main payload
It was Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC)
To ensure absolutely sterile environment, scientists and engineers worked in a cleanroom or "sanctuary"
It is 1-lakh times cleaner than a hospital ICU
Every member of the team also had to wear suits resembling futuristic explorers
It was to keep off contamination and even undergo ultrasonic cleaning
ISRO used HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters, isopropyl alcohol (99 percent concentrated), and rigorous protocols to ensure no foreign particles caused disruptions
A single particle discharge could have undone days of hard work