India's ‘sunshine moment’: PM Modi, ministers congratulate ISRO for Aditya L-1 launch
File photo.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers on Saturday (September 2) congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful launch of India's first solar mission Aditya L-1 to study the Sun. Sharing a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Prime Minister Modi said, "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."
Modi added that India's tireless scientific efforts will continue to develop a better understanding of the Universe for the welfare of entire humanity.
India's Science Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who was present at Sriharikota to witness the momentous occasionsaid the launch of Aditya L-1 was a "sunshine moment" for the country.
"This remarkable endeavour promises to unlock the secrets of our nearest star, shedding light on its mysteries and enhancing our understanding of space weather," Indian Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari posted on X.
President Droupadi Murmu, meanwhile, said the launch "will help us better understand space and celestial phenomena."
Launch of Aditya-L1 by PSLV-C57 accomplished successfully: ISRO
The ISRO said on Saturday that the launch of Aditya-L1 by PSLV-C57 was accomplished successfully. "The vehicle has placed the satellite precisely into its intended orbit. India’s first solar observatory has begun its journey to the destination of Sun-Earth L1 point," ISRO posted on X.
Meanwhile, ISRO chairperson S Somanath said, "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 Aditya L-1 is destined to travel 1.5 million kilometres over four months, far short of the sun, which is 150 million km from Earth, a report by the news agency Reuters said. It is meant to stop its journey in a kind of parking lot in space, called a Lagrange Point, where objects tend to stay put because of balancing gravitational forces, thereby reducing fuel consumption for the spacecraft.
The spacecraft took flight barely a week after India became the first country to land on the south pole of the Moon. On August 23, ISRO announced the successful landing of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft at the lunar south pole.
Pushed by PM Modi, India has privatised space launches and is looking to open the sector to foreign investment as it targets a five-fold increase in its share of the global launch market within the next decade. Modi is also pushing for India's space missions to play a larger role on a world stage dominated by the United States and China.
(With inputs from agencies)
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