Aditya-L1 Launch Highlights: PSLV-C57 accomplishes mission! Satellite sucessfully injected in intended orbit

ISRO's launch vehicle PSLV-C57 rocket carrying India's first solar mission, 'Aditya-L1', lifts off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota on Sept. 2, 2023. (Image: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X, and tweeted, ” After the success of Chandrayaan-3, India continues its space journey. Congratulations to our scientists and engineers at ISRO for the successful launch of India’s first Solar Mission, Aditya -L1. Our tireless scientific efforts will continue in order to develop better understanding of the Universe for the welfare of entire humanity.”

Congress celebrated the Aditya-L1 launch as a remarkable achievement for India. Mallikarjun Kharge, President of Congress, expressed deep gratitude to ISRO's scientists, space engineers, researchers, and dedicated personnel for their successful execution of the Aditya L1 Solar Observation Mission. He extended congratulations to the entire team and acknowledged their contributions, sharing a detailed mission timeline.

The first EarthBound firing to raise the orbit is scheduled for September 3, 2023, around 11:45 Hrs. IST, informed ISRO.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulates scientists of ISRO for the successful launch of Aditya L-1. “The nation is proud and delighted over the successful launch of Aditya L1, India's first solar mission. It is a giant stride towards fulfilling PM Modi's vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat in the space sector, during the Amrit Kaal.” tweets Amit Shah

The Visible Emission Line Coronagraph, which studies the solar corona and dynamics of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME), will be sending 1,440 images per day to the ground station for analysis on reaching the intended orbit.

“We extend our congratulations to ISRO on the successful launch of the Aditya L1 mission. This achievement follows the Chandrayaan-3 mission, marking another significant milestone for India's space sector. It not only reaffirms India's capabilities in space exploration but will establish trust in our private sector's ability to collaborate internationally and contribute to the global space industry. These successes will also further enhance funding prospects for our private space companies,” Lt. Gen. AK Bhatt (Retd.), Director General, Indian Space Association (ISpA) said.

On the successful launch of Aditya L-1, ISRO Chairman S Somanath says, “The Aditya L1 spacecraft has been injected in an elliptical orbit…which is intended very precisely by the PSLV. I want to congratulate the PSLV for such a different mission approach today to put Aditya L1 in the right orbit.”

The range operations director has confirmed that the second burn of the PS4 stage has commenced. 

Following its launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, the mission team will first position the spacecraft into a Low Earth Orbit. Subsequently, the orbit will be adjusted to become more elliptical in shape. The spacecraft will then undergo a crucial maneuver where its on-board propulsion system will be employed to propel it towards the Lagrange L1 point, allowing it to escape Earth's gravitational Sphere of Influence and progress towards L1. Eventually, it will be directed into a broad Halo Orbit encircling the L1 point in close proximity to the Sun.

ISRO has indicated that the entire journey from launch to reaching the L1 point is expected to span approximately four months for the Aditya-L1 Mission.

As the launch vehicle carrying Aditya L1, the country's maiden solar mission, lifted off successfully from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, Annapurni Subramaniam, director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, said the mission will be the first to probe into the innermost part of the Sun's Corona. Speaking to ANI moments before the launch of the country's maiden solar mission, Subramaniam said, “We have boarded the main instrument on board the launch vehicle carrying Aditya L1. It is the Visible Line Emission Coronagraph (VELC). It will enable an unobstructed view of the Sun.” “It will observe the Sun in the state of an eclipse all the time. This will be the first mission, which will take a close look at the innermost part of the Sun, the Corona,” she added. – ANI

(Image Credit: ISRO)

ISRO has announced that the vehicle's performance is normal as of now. The suits of Aditya L1 payloads are expected to provide most crucial informations to understand the problem of coronal heating, coronal mass ejection, pre-flare and flare activities and their characteristics, dynamics of space weather, propagation of particle and fields etc.

The third stage of the PSLV has been successfully separated. PSLV is in the next stage now. ISRO is broadcasting the event live on its YouTube channel. You can stay with us here to get full live coverage of Aditya-L1's journey.

ISRO has successfully launched the Aditya-L1 spacecraft on board the PSLV-C57 rocket. Payload faring covering the spacecraft has been separated.

This is the longest PSLV mission ever taken. The sepaartion will take 63 minutes 19 seconds. As of now, The lift coincides with the ignition of core S139 solid rocket motor and ignition of the four ground lit strap ons, as per ISRO

ISRO is already live from their headquarters. The Mission director has stated that the all the clearances have been given and the weather conditions are favorable. The Automatic Launch Sequence has already been initiated.

Dr. Anil Bharadwaj, Director, Physical Research Laboratory told ANI, “We are all very excited about the launch. This is a very unique mission from India to study the Sun…It will take maybe a month or so to commission all the experiments that are there on the Aditya L1. After that, we will be able to continuously start looking into the Sun…”

School students convey their wishes to the ISRO’s Aditya-L1 mission, India's maiden solar mission, ahead of its launch, in Nadia, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023. (PTI Photo)

On ISRO's Aditya L1 mission, Annapurni Subramaniam, Director, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore told ANI, “We have delivered the main instrument on this particular mission that is the Visible Line Emission Coronagraph (VELC). This will make a total solar eclipse all the time and since it is in the L1 where it will give an unobstructed view of the Sun. It will see the Sun in eclipse all the time. This will be the first mission which will look at the most inner part of the Corona”

“The last mission that went to L1 point was five years before Aditya L1. This would be the first mission of the new generation. The mission will observe the Sun simultaneously in optical, UV and X-ray,” Mayank N. Vahia, Retired professor from Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, told ANI.

In the long run, information gathered from the mission holds the potential to enhance our comprehension of the Sun's influence on Earth's climate patterns and the origins of solar wind—a continuous flow of particles emitted by the Sun that traverses through our solar system. These insights have been articulated by scientists affiliated with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Mahant Divyagiri of Mankameshwar temple performs a special 'Havan' ahead of the launch of ISRO's PSLV-C57 carrying the 'Aditya-L1' spacecraft, Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. (Image: PTI Photo)