The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved another significant milestone in space exploration with the successful launch of its inaugural solar observation mission, Aditya-L1. This achievement comes shortly after their historic lunar landing near the Moon’s south pole.

Aditya-L1, named after Surya, the Hindu god of the Sun, is a groundbreaking endeavour as India’s first space-based mission focused on studying the Sun. What makes this mission unique is its destination: Lagrange point 1, marked as “L1” in its name. This point is strategically positioned between the Sun and Earth, where gravitational forces balance, allowing the spacecraft to maintain a stationary position.

Aditya-L1 is set to travel an impressive 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, which equates to approximately 1% of the Earth-Sun distance. The mission is expected to span approximately four months to reach its destination. Once it reaches Lagrange point 1, Aditya-L1 will be able to orbit the Sun at the same rate as the Earth, optimizing its fuel efficiency for extended solar observations.

This mission holds great promise for advancing our understanding of the Sun and its influence on our planet.