Aditya-L1 launch: India’s maiden solar observatory begins its journey to Sun-Earth L1 point
India’s maiden solar observatory begins its journey to Sun-Earth L1 point
After Chandrayan-3's recent successful lunar excursion, ISRO on September 2 launched the nation's ambitious solar mission, Aditya-L1. The 44.4m tall Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which was scheduled to launch at 11:50 a.m. from this spaceport on the Eastern coast approximately 135 kilometers southeast of Chennai, soared magnificently as the 23:40-hour countdown came to an end.
Aditya-L1 is the first space-based observatory to study the Sun, according to ISRO. The spacecraft is anticipated to be placed in a Halo orbit around the Lagrangian point L1, which is thought to be closest to the Sun, after traveling around 1.5 million kilometers from Earth over 125 days.
It will send images of the sun, among other things, for research purposes. A small object prefers to stay in one of five Lagrangian points (or parking areas) between the Earth and the Sun, according to scientists. Spacecraft can use these locations in space to stay there for longer periods of time while using less fuel.
One of the longest launches of ISRO's workhorse launch vehicle, the PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1, can be attributed to this mission. The 2016 PSLV-C35 mission, which was completed two hours, 15 minutes, and 33 seconds after liftoff, remains the PSLV mission with the longest duration.
Aditya-L1 will spend 16 days in an orbit around the earth, during which time it will do five maneuvers to increase its speed.
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