Aditya-L1 spacecraft separates from PSLV rocket

September 02, 2023 13:40

The Aditya-L1 spacecraft onboard a PSLV rocket on Saturday successfully got separated and would be proceeding on its journey towards the Sun on a 125-day voyage, ISRO said on Saturday.

ISRO chief S Somanath said the spacecraft was injected in the "precise orbit".

"Aditya L1 spacecraft has been injected in an elliptical orbit of 235 by 19,500 km which is intended, very precisely by the PSLV," he said.

"From now on Aditya L1 will go on a long journey for 125 days," towards the Sun, he said from the Mission Control Center in Sriharikota, flanked by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, project director Nigar Shaji and mission director Biju. Shaji said the spacecraft was injected into the orbit flawlessly by the PSLV "as always," and that the solar panels are deployed.

"Aditya L1 has started 125 days of long journey to the Sun," she said.

Union Minister Singh, described today's achievement as a "sunshine moment," and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the support to the space sector.

The Sun is a giant sphere of gas and Aditya-L1 would study its outer atmosphere.

Aditya-L1 will neither land on the Sun nor approach it any closer, ISRO said.

It is expected to travel for about 125 days to reach the Halo orbit around the Lagrangian Point L1, which is considered closest to the sun. Aditya-L1, weighing about 1,480.7 kg, is the first space-based observatory class to study the Sun. -- PTI

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