India’s Space Research and Development Organization (ISRO) has launched a rocket carrying the Aditya-L1 spacecraft as part of its first mission to observe the Sun.
This was reported by Reuters.
The launch took place at 9:20 am Kyiv time. Later, ISRO announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the spacecraft had successfully entered orbit.
PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission:
The launch of Aditya-L1 by PSLV-C57 is accomplished successfully.
The vehicle has placed the satellite precisely into its intended orbit.
India’s first solar observatory has begun its journey to the destination of Sun-Earth L1 point.
– ISRO (@isro) September 2, 2023
In four months, Aditya-L1 will travel almost 1.5 million kilometers until it reaches the Lagrange point L1 between the Sun and the Earth.
Lagrange points are the place of equilibrium between two massive orbiting bodies, where objects remain in place under the influence of gravity and minimize fuel consumption.
The goal of the Indian solar observation mission Aditya-L1
The spacecraft will remain in orbit to collect data that should help researchers find out why the Sun’s corona is hotter than its surface. They also hope to gain information on how the star’s radiation and various phenomena affect communication systems, satellites, and power grids.
By understanding these effects, space companies and agencies will be able to better protect spacecraft in orbit. For example, predicting coronal mass ejections will help warn operators so they can shut down satellite power in advance.
In addition, scientists hope that Aditya-L1 will shed light on the behavior of the solar wind and how the star’s activity can affect the Earth’s climate in the long term.
