The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced on Saturday that the nation’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1, will “possibly” launch on September 2 as it turns its attention to its next space adventure following the successful landing of a lander on the moon’s unexplored South Pole. The first observatory in India to study the Sun from space is Aditya-L1.
Nilesh M. Desai, a leading space scientist at the ISRO and the director of Space Applications Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad, told ANI that “We had planned the ‘Aditya-L1’ mission to study the sun” shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech to scientists at the ISRO’s Bengaluru headquarters. Launch is imminent for the mission.The launch of the spacecraft is possibly scheduled for September 2.
“PM Modi’s speech was hugely motivating. His announcements will inspire us to plan and execute similar missions going forward. His announcements have filled us with motivation and new zeal to rededicate ourselves to working for the country in the space domain,” Desai told ANI.
Sudheer Kumar N, director, Capacity Building & Public Outreach (CBPO), ISRO told ANI, “I don’t have enough words to express what I felt about PM Modi’s address here. I can’t thank him enough for visiting us here just after landing in India. He said he couldn’t stop himself from visiting us. This was more than what we could expect. His announcements were not only meant to celebrate the success of our lunar landing mission but also to enable future generations to remember the day and the achievement.”
Earlier, speaking to ANI, ISRO chairman S Somanth said the country’s maiden mission to study the sun will be ready for launch in the first week of September.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that August 23 will be celebrated as ‘National Space Day’ to mark Chandrayaan-3’s landing on the moon.
He announced that the spot where the ‘Vikram’ lander touched down on the lunar surface would henceforth be known as the ‘Shivshakti’ point while the imprint left by the Chandrayaan-2 on the lunar surface will be called the ‘Tiranga’ point’.
Earlier, on Saturday, PM Modi was accorded a warm reception as he arrived at the ISRO headquarters.
He met the team of scientists involved in the country’s third lunar mission and was pictured embracing ISRO chief S Somanath.
Locals, holding up posters and the tricolour had lined the streets outside the airport to welcome PM Modi.
Upon landing at the HAL airport in Bengaluru, he waved at the cheering locals and raised the slogan “Jai Vigyan Jai Anusandhan (Glory to Science, Glory to Research)”.
