India's solar mission, Aditya L1, is set to reach its destination, the Lagrangian point (L1), on January 6, as confirmed by the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), S Somanath. The Lagrangian point is located approximately 1.5 million km away from Earth. Aditya L1, the first Indian space-based observatory dedicated to studying the Sun from a halo orbit L1, was successfully launched by ISRO on September 2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota.
Somanath revealed this during the Bharatiya Vigyan Sammelan, a conference organised by Vijnana Bharati, an NGO focused on promoting science. He said, "Aditya L1 will enter the L1 point on January 6. That is what is expected. The exact time will be announced at an appropriate time." Explaining the mission's trajectory, he added, "When it reaches the L1 point, we have to fire the engine once again so that it does not go further. It will go to that point, and once it reaches that point, it will rotate around it and will be trapped at L1."
Aditya L1, upon reaching its destination, will play a crucial role in measuring various solar events for the next five years. "Once it is successfully placed at the L1 point, it will be there for the next five years, gathering all the data which are very important not only for India but for the entire world. The data will be very useful in understanding the dynamics of the Sun and how it affects our lives," stated the ISRO chief. He emphasised the significance of India's technological advancement, saying, "How India is going to become a technologically powerful country is very important."
In addition to the Aditya L1 mission, Somanath revealed ISRO's plans to construct an Indian space station, referred to as the 'Bharatiya space station,' following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's instructions. Addressing the emergence of new actors in the space sector, he expressed ISRO's commitment to supporting and encouraging the growth of the new generation. Somanath also emphasized the importance of focusing on sectors where India can excel, stating, "India cannot become a leader in everything, but it should focus on the sectors where it can."
(With inputs from PTI)
