Sriharikota: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Saturday successfully launched the Aditya-L1 Solar Mission from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota. The spacecraft was launched via the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C57). The countdown of the launch began on September 2 at 12:10 Hrs. The spacecraft will take four months to travel the distance of 1.5 million kilometers from the Earth to the direction of the Sun. Spacecraft completes third phase of separation.
A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any occultation and eclipses, said ISRO. India has taken a huge step in the fields of solar physics and heliophysics after the launch of Aditya-L1. The main objective of Aditya-L1 is to study the Sun. This will provide a greater advantage of observing the solar activities and its effect on space weather in real-time. India will become the third country in the world to achieve this feat.
Spacecraft launched with seven payloads
Aditya-L1 was launched with seven payloads, out of which the largest and technically most challenging payload is the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph or VELCwill be placed in to the halo orbit around Lagrangian Point 1 or L1. The Lagrangian point 1 is situated around 1.5 million kilometers awat from the Earth in the direction of the Sun. Aditya-L1 is expected to cover the distance of 1.5 million kilometres from the Earth in four months.
Aditya-L1 launch | Youtube | Screenshot
Major objectives
As per ANI, the major objectives of India’s solar mission include the study of the physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism, the solar wind acceleration, coupling and dynamics of the solar atmosphere, solar wind distribution and temperature anisotropy, and origin of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) and flares and near-earth space weather.
Will gather data from the solar corona
Aditya-L1 will gather the data from the solar corona and transmit the data to the scientific community. Most part of the data will be shared for the first time to the scientific community in India. Earlier, India touched down the lunar south pole of the Moon through its Chandrayaan-3 lander module. The country entered the record books after achieving this feat. India became the fourth country to achieve the feat only after United States, China and Russia.
BJP National President JP Nadda hails the mission
BJP National President JP Nadda hailed the launch of the solar mission. JP Nadda said BJP National President JP Nadda at 'Meri Maati, Mera Desh' program in UP's Ghaziabad "With the Chandrayaan mission, India has become the first nation to land a spacecraft on the south pole region of the Moon. Today, Aditya L-1 mission will be launched to study the Sun."
Former ISRO Chairman G. Madhavan Nair on Aditya L-1 mission
Former ISRO Chairman G. Madhavan Nair on Aditya L-1 mission to study the Sun, said "This mission is very important. Aditya L-1 will be placed around Lagrangian Point 1, where the gravitational force of Earth and the Sun virtually cancels and with minimum fuel, we can maintain spacecraft there. In addition, 24/7 observation is possible. Seven instruments have been put onboard the spacecraft. The data from this mission will help explain various phenomena taking place in the atmosphere, climate change studies etc."
Surya Namaskar was performed
A Surya Namaskar was performed at the Doon Yoga Peeth ahead of the launch of the country's maiden solar mission. The Surya Namaskar was performed in the presence of spiritual guru Acharya Bipin Joshi.
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