ISRO to launch Aditya L-1 mission for the sun in 2019

After conquering the Moon and Mars, ISRO has now targeted the sun with its new Aditya L-1 mission.

Aditya L-1, which is India’s maiden mission to the sun, will be launched in 2019, as per a statement from ISRO Chairman A.S Kiran Kumar to the Hindustan Times.

The statement was given out during the International Seminar on Indian Space Programme’ organised by ISRO in compliance with Antrix its commercial arm alongside FICCI, for inviting industry partners in space operations.

Also Read: Not into space for tourism, private players can participate: ISRO chief

The main aim of the mission, as per his statement, is to improve the understanding about “dynamical processes of the sun” and resolve some unanswered question in solar physics.

The satellite that will be carrying six payloads shall be launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota and will be directed into a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, which allows undisturbed monitoring of the sun, without any occultation or eclipses hampering the study.

Also Read: Over 30 different satellite launches ahead of ISRO in December

The space agency is planning to double its satellite launches by next year from present 8-9 to 20 every year, with the second edition of India’s moon mission scheduled next year in March 2018 as well.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, during the same event, said that for the country outer space exploration is “not an arena for international competition” while referring to India’s Space Programme as a truly “people’s programme”.

During the event, he also added that the organisation is planning to launch four more important satellites in next three months and is working to launch 70 satellites in the next three years.