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.
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.
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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.