Aditya L1 spacecraft is nearing its final phase, says ISRO chief

ISRO's Aditya L1 mission to study Sun nearing final phase; manoeuvres to enter L1 point expected by Jan 7, 2024. Aditya launched Sep 2, travelled 1.5 million km over 125 days. Will be placed in Halo orbit around L1 point, capture & transmit pictures of Sun for experiments.

Aditya L1 spacecraft, India's first space-based mission to study the Sun, is nearing its final phase, and manoeuvres to enter the L1 point are expected to be completed by January 7, 2024, according to ISRO Chairman S Somanath.

"Aditya is on the way. I think it has reached almost its final phase," the ISRO chief told PTI on the sidelines of an event organised at VSSC to commemorate the 60th year of the First Sounding Rocket Launch.

He said that the last preparations for the spacecraft's entry into the L1 point are currently underway incrementally.

"Possibly by January 7th, the final manoeuvres will be done for entering into the L1 point," Mr. Somanath added.

Aditya L1 was successfully launched on September 2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota.

The spacecraft, after travelling about 1.5 million km from Earth over 125 days, is expected to be placed in a Halo orbit around the Lagrangian point L1, considered closest to the Sun.