India’s first space-based solar observatory ‘Aditya-L1 satellite’ scheduled to reach its designated orbit at 4 pm
The Aditya-L1 satellite, India’s first space-based solar observatory, is scheduled to reach its designated orbit at 4 pm today.
Earlier, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said, Aditya-L1 is going to reach its L1 point on the 6th of January and we are going to do the final manoeuvre to keep it there. Situated approximately 1.5 million km away from Earth, Aditya-L1 will execute a crucial manoeuvre upon reaching L1.
The satellite, launched from Sriharikota on the 2nd of September, is expected to stay in this strategic location for the next five years. ISRO chief S Somanath has said once Aditya-L1 reaches this “parking spot” it will be able to orbit the Sun at the same rate as the Earth. He added from this vantage point it will be able to watch the Sun constantly, even during eclipses and occultations, and carry out scientific studies.
It was launched just days after India made history by becoming the first to land near the Moon’s south pole. India’s first space-based mission to study the solar system’s biggest object is named after Surya – the Hindu god of the Sun, who is also known as Aditya.
And L1 stands for Lagrange point 1 – the exact place between the Sun and Earth where the spacecraft is heading. L1 is located 1.5 million km (932,000 miles) from the Earth, which is 1 per cent of the Earth-Sun distance. ISRO has said that the spacecraft had already covered most of the distance to its destination.
