ADITYA-L1

May 4, 2019

Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is planning to send a probe named Aditya-L1 to study the sun early next year.

About: 

  • Objective: The probe named Aditya-L1 will be sent by PSLV-XL from Sriharikota to observe the solar corona, the outer layers of the Sun. 

  • Features: It will be inserted in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which is 1.5 million km from the Earth. 

  • Significance of Mission: 
    • A Satellite placed in the halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any eclipses.

    • Only NASA and ESA have successfully placed satellites at the L1 point as of date.

    • This will be the first Indian space mission to study the Sun.

    • It will be India’s third big extra-terrestrial outing after Moon and Mars.