"India Initiates Groundbreaking Sun Observation Mission After Lunar Success"
In a historic follow-up to its recent lunar achievement, India has successfully launched its first sun observation mission, Aditya-L1. The mission took off from the Sriharikota launch pad on a significant Saturday at 11:50 Indian Standard Time (06:20 GMT).
Aditya-L1 is slated to embark on an ambitious journey, covering a distance of 1.5 million km (932,000 miles) from Earth, representing a mere 1% of the Earth-Sun separation. India's space agency estimates a four-month voyage to reach this considerable distance.
Named after Surya, the Hindu god of the Sun, Aditya-L1 is destined for Lagrange point 1 (L1), the precise location between the Sun and Earth that enables a unique phenomenon: the gravitational forces of these celestial bodies cancel each other out, permitting a spacecraft to effectively "hover," as elucidated by the European Space Agency.
Read more: Russia's spacecraft Luna-25 crashes into Moon.
Upon arrival at this specialized "parking spot," Aditya-L1 will synchronize its orbit with that of Earth, necessitating minimal fuel consumption for its operations. The launch garnered significant attention, with thousands of spectators gathering at the Indian Space Research Agency's (ISRO) designated viewing gallery near the launch site. The event was also broadcast live on national television, with commentators lauding it as a "magnificent" launch. ISRO scientists expressed satisfaction, confirming the launch's success and normal performance.
Following a flight duration of one hour and four minutes, ISRO officially declared it a "mission successful."
ISRO's Chairman, Sreedhara Panicker Somanath, shared optimism about the mission's future, stating, "Now it will continue on its journey - it's a very long journey of 135 days; let's wish it [the] best of luck."
Project director Nigar Shaji emphasized that once Aditya-L1 reaches its designated location, its contributions will extend beyond India, benefiting the global scientific community.
Aditya-L1 will undertake several orbits around Earth before heading towards L1. In its privileged position, it will maintain continuous surveillance of the Sun, even during eclipses, facilitating vital scientific research.
While ISRO has not disclosed the mission's exact cost, reports in the Indian press estimate it at 3.78 billion rupees ($46 million; £36 million).
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