After the success of India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan-3, ISRO guns for the sun with Aditya LV-1

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has geared up for the launch of India’s first space-based solar observatory mission, Aditya L 1 in a PSLV-XL rocket, on September 2 at 11:50 IST, from the Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This space-based, observatory- class solar probe is directed towards studying and ‘unlocking the mysteries of the sun’.

Taking to X, ISRO kick started the countdown leading to the launch of Aditya L1, “PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission:The 23-hour 40-minute countdown leading to the launch at 11:50 Hrs. IST on September 2, 2023, has commended today at 12:10 Hrs”, reads the tweet.

The ISRO scientists are confident and state that the conditions are conducive for a successful launch. "We are just getting ready for the launch. The rocket and satellite are ready. We completed the rehearsal for the launch”, said ISRO Chief S Somanath.

Aditya L1 will be placed at a distance of 1.5 million kilometers from the Earth, about four times farther than the moon, in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 of the Sun and Earth system. This halo orbit has been selected as there are no obstructions between the orbit and the sun. The celestial body will be monitored without the interferences of eclipses or occultation, and record the developments in real time. This mission is aimed towards getting a deeper understanding of the sun and its subsequent impact on the Earth. Moreover, the solar activities will be studied in great details and its impact on the space weather will be noted down in real time.

The launch of Aditya L1 comes days after the successful soft landing of India’s lunar mission Chandrayaan-3 near the Southern Pole of the moon on August 23. Making India the 4th country to successfully complete a lunar mission and the 1st country ever to reach the Southern Pole of the moon. The Pragyan rover is already conducting experiments on the moon, and has discovered Sulphur on the surface of the moon.