Indian Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has revealed that Aditya-L1, the country’s inaugural solar mission, is scheduled to reach its destination, Lagrange Point 1, in early January 2024. This announcement was made during an exclusive interview with Sansad TV in New Delhi. Additionally, Dr Singh stated that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will carry out a series of tests pertaining to India’s maiden human space mission, Gaganyaan, throughout the upcoming year.
India’s inaugural solar mission, Aditya L1, was successfully launched on September 2nd via PSLV-C57. Recently, S Somnath, the head of ISRO, revealed that the mission is set to enter the L1 orbit on January 7th. L1, one of the Sun-Earth system’s five Lagrange points, is situated approximately 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth, positioned between our planet and the Sun. ISRO’s objective is to position its seven scientific payloads in a halo orbit at this strategic location in space to conduct extensive research. Notably, the mission achieved a significant milestone a few weeks ago by capturing the first comprehensive images of the Sun using the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope.
Singh attributed the success of the mission to the boldness and determination of PM Narendra Modi, who broke down long-standing barriers and fostered a conducive atmosphere for private entities to participate in India’s space industry. This move has garnered enthusiastic responses from both start-ups and established players in the sector.