Aditya-L1 To Launch Today. When And How To Watch Take-Off Of India’s First Solar Mission
Aditya-L1 will be placed in a halo orbit around Lagrange point 1 (L1), and study different solar activities and their impact on space weather.
Aditya-L1's launch countdown began at 12:10 pm IST on September 1, 2023, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a mission update. ISRO will launch Aditya-L1, India's first space-based solar mission, on September 2, at 11:50 am IST, atop a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Aditya-L1 will be placed in a halo orbit around Lagrange point 1 (L1), and study different solar activities and their impact on space weather. The solar observatory will reach its destination about four months after launch.
People who wish to watch the launch of Aditya-L1 live can visit the official website, YouTube channel, and Facebook account of ISRO, or see the livestream on DD National.
PSLV-C57/Aditya-L1 Mission:
— ISRO (@isro) September 1, 2023
The 23-hour 40-minute countdown leading to the launch at 11:50 Hrs. IST on September 2, 2023, has commended today at 12:10 Hrs.
The launch can be watched LIVE
on ISRO Website https://t.co/osrHMk7MZL
Facebook https://t.co/zugXQAYy1y
YouTube…
The livestream will begin at 11:20 am IST on September 2.
Aditya-L1 will be placed at L1 because this point offers a lot of advantages. At L1, the gravitational forces of the Sun and the Earth are balanced, as a result of which Aditya-L1 will simply hover in the halo orbit around L1, and be able to save fuel. Most importantly, L1 will offer Aditya-L1 an uninterrupted view of the Sun continuously for five years.
ALSO READ | Aditya-L1 Will Be Placed 1.5 Million Kilometres From The Earth. Know The Significance Of This Distance
Aditya-L1 will follow a curved trajectory to reach L1. The spacecraft will first be inserted into low-Earth orbit, after which it will undergo orbit-raising manoeuvres to make its orbit elliptical. After three orbit-raising manoeuvres, Aditya-L1 will exit Earth's gravitational sphere of influence, and enter the cruise phase. The cruise phase is important because it will take Aditya-L1 to the position from which it can easily inject itself into the halo orbit around L1.