Chennai, August 23: The successful moon shot on Wednesday has come like a booster shot for the officials of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which is now gearing up for a mission to the Sun. India on Wednesday evening successfully landed its moon lander near the South Pole of the moon. The Aditya-L1 spacecraft -- the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun -- is at India’s rocket port in Sriharikota and is getting ready for the launch. Chandrayaan-3 Mission: Meet Key Scientists Behind India’s Third Lunar Mission as ISRO Spacecraft Makes Successful Landing on Moon.

ISRO will be sending up its Aditya-L1, a coronagraphy satellite, on a PSLV rocket to study the solar atmosphere towards the end of August or early September. According to the ISRO, the spacecraft will be placed into a halo orbit around the first Lagrange point, L1, of the Sun-Earth system. Chandrayaan-3 Moon Landing Successful: President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar Extend Congratulations to the Nation.

The satellite around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without occultation/eclipses. The Aditya-L1 satellite -- named after the Sun God -- will be carried by Indian rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). ISRO has also slated a flight to Venus -- Venus Mission -- in 2024. Whether it is going to be a 'Night Flight to Venus' will be known later.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 23, 2023 08:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).