October 3, 2023 – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced a significant milestone in the Aditya-L1 Mission, as the spacecraft has ventured beyond a distance of 9.2 lakh kilometres from Earth, escaping the sphere of Earth’s influence. ISRO’s statement highlights that Aditya-L1 is now en route to the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1). This achievement marks the second instance in which ISRO has successfully sent a spacecraft beyond Earth’s sphere of influence, the first being the Mars Orbiter mission.
Launched on September 2 from the Sriharikota spaceport, Aditya L1 is India’s maiden space-based solar observatory mission. The spacecraft embarked on a 125-day journey to reach L1, demonstrating India’s prowess in space exploration.
On September 18, ISRO revealed that Aditya had initiated the collection of scientific data. The spacecraft’s Supra Thermal & Energetic Particle Spectrometer (STEPS) instrument has been actively measuring supra-thermal and energetic ions and electrons at distances exceeding 50,000 km from Earth. This data is of great significance for scientists as it aids in the analysis of particle behavior in Earth’s vicinity.
STEPS forms a crucial part of the Aditya Solar Wind Particle EXperiment payload, which is integral to the Aditya-L1 mission. In total, Aditya-L1 is equipped with seven payloads designed to facilitate various scientific observations and experiments.
At the L1 point, Aditya-L1 joins the ranks of four other operational spacecraft. Among them are the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Wind and Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) launched by SpaceX, and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), a joint mission between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
The Aditya-L1 Mission represents a significant leap forward in India’s space exploration efforts, particularly in the realm of solar observation and data collection. As the spacecraft continues its journey towards L1, scientists and researchers eagerly anticipate the valuable insights it will provide regarding the Sun-Earth interaction and solar phenomena.
While this achievement is indeed remarkable, ISRO’s ongoing commitment to space exploration underscores its determination to advance scientific knowledge and technological capabilities on a global scale. As the Aditya-L1 Mission progresses, it holds the promise of contributing valuable data and findings to the scientific community, furthering our understanding of the cosmos.
