Aditya L-1 has 100 kg of fuel left, ISRO awaiting first signal

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ISRO has started the process of changing India's Aditya L-1 probe orbit to a safe and accurate level after successfully reaching Lagrange Point, 1.5 lakh km from Earth.

ISRO's telemetric centre in Bengaluru is waiting for a strong communication link. Once it is in place, the orbit can be adjusted by operating the thrusters on the spacecraft.

Dr V Narayanan, senior member of the Aditya L1 team and director of LPSC, who returned to Thiruvananthapuram yesterday, said that they are waiting for the first signal. Now it is impossible to tell when the signal will be received.

ISRO informed that Aditya now has about 100 kg of fuel left. 60 kg is enough to stay in Lagrange for five years and make corrections.

Aditya will orbit in a three-dimensional orbit that is seven kilometres long, two kilometres wide and one kilometre high. It will also move around the Sun in accordance with the Earth's rotation.

Aditya L1 reached its destination at Lagrange Point around 4 pm on Saturday. The spacecraft was launched on September 2. Aditya has seven scientific instruments to observe the sun.

LPSC Director Dr V Narayanan said that Aditya's success is an asset for the country's development. "The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre was able to play a critical role in the Aditya L1 mission. 2024-25 is Gaganyaan's year. The country is also gearing up for the next GSLV launch. The country's space station will become a reality by 2035. An unmanned rocket will be tested this year," he said.