Aditya L1, the solar mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is nearing a significant milestone as it is scheduled to reach Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system on January 6. This achievement will position the spacecraft at a vantage point, allowing uninterrupted views of the sun without eclipses, according to ISRO chief S Somanath. During Techfest 2023, the annual science and technology event at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Somanath shared that Aditya L1’s engine would undergo a controlled burn to facilitate entry into a halo orbit.
Lagrange point, the region where gravity between Earth and the Sun neutralizes, provides an optimal environment for solar observations. Although complete neutralization isn’t achievable due to the influence of other celestial bodies like the Moon, Mars, and Venus, the Lagrange point offers unique observational advantages.
Somanath reported successful testing of all six payloads on Aditya L1, emphasizing their seamless functionality and generation of valuable data. Once in orbit, the satellite is expected to continuously observe the Sun, enabling the exploration of correlations between the solar corona, mass ejections, and their impact on everyday space weather.
Regarding India’s lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, Somanath provided updates on the Pragyan rover. After 14 days of data collection, the rover is currently inactive on the lunar surface. Somanath expressed disappointment that the rover did not wake up as expected, despite successful laboratory testing. He noted that certain systems that functioned in the controlled laboratory environment may face challenges on the lunar surface, possibly due to factors like radiation.
