Aditya-L1 Reaches Final Destination, PM Praises "Extraordinary Feat"

In another historic moment for India in space, Aditya-L1 -- the country's first mission to study the sun -- has reached its final destination. The space observatory was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on September 2 last year.

Praising the country's scientists for the achievement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India has created yet another landmark and that the country will pursue new frontiers of science to benefit humanity. 

In a post on X on Saturday, the PM wrote, "India creates yet another landmark. India's first solar observatory Aditya-L1 reaches its destination. It is a testament to the relentless dedication of our scientists in realising among the most complex and intricate space missions. I join the nation in applauding this extraordinary feat. We will continue to pursue new frontiers of science for the benefit of humanity."

India creates yet another landmark. India's first solar observatory Aditya-L1 reaches it's destination. It is a testament to the relentless dedication of our scientists in realising among the most complex and intricate space missions. I join the nation in applauding this…

Aditya L1, which is India's first space-based observatory to study the Sun, has been placed in a halo point around the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1. The point is around 1.5 million km from the Earth, in the direction of the Sun. 

Lagrange points, named after French mathematician and astronomer Joseph-Louis Lagrange, are unique locations in space where the gravitational force of two massive bodies neutralise each other. Maintaining the orbit of spacecraft around these points is easier and requires less fuel.