Aditya-L1 spacecraft separates from launch vehicle, proceeds towards the Sun: ISRO
Sriharikota (PTI): The Aditya-L1 spacecraft onboard a PSLV rocket on Saturday successfully got separated and would be proceeding on its journey towards the Sun on a 125-day voyage , ISRO said on Saturday.
ISRO chief S Somanath said the spacecraft was injected in the "precise orbit".
"Aditya L1 spacecraft has been injected in an elliptical orbit of 235 by 19,500 km which is intended, very precisely by the PSLV," he said.
"From now on Aditya L1 will go on a long journey for 125 days," towards the Sun, he said from the Mission Control Center here, flanked by Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Project Director Nigar Shaji and Mission Director Biju.
Shaji said the spacecraft was injected into the orbit flawlessly by the PSLV "as always," and that the solar panels are deployed. "Aditya L1 has started 125 days of long journey to the Sun," she said.
Union Minister Singh, described today's achievement as a "sunshine moment," and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the support to the space sector.
The Sun is a giant sphere of gas and Aditya-L1 would study its outer atmosphere. Aditya-L1 will neither land on the Sun nor approach it any closer, ISRO said.
It is expected to travel for about 125 days to reach the Halo orbit around the Lagrangian Point L1, which is considered closest to the sun.
Aditya-L1, weighing about 1,480.7 kg, is the first space-based observatory class to study the Sun.
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I've 10 months to decide whether I want to play one more year: Dhoni on IPL future
New Delhi(PTI): The legendary MS Dhoni stayed immune to the growing clamour around his future in the IPL, saying the decision to bring curtains on his career depends on how his body reacts to the demands of top-flight cricket and he has "10 months" to take a call.
In this IPL, Dhoni has not been able to make the kind of impact that he usually does while batting in the lower middle-order.
His lack of timing and ineffectiveness, evidenced in the 76 runs that he made from four matches, have prompted several experts to urge the multiple World Cup-winning skipper to move on.
"I am still playing the IPL and it is one year at a time for me. I am 43 now and by the end of this IPL season, I will be 44," Dhoni said on entrepreneur Raj Shamani's podcast recently.
"So, I have 10 months to decide whether I want to play one more year and it's not me to decide as it is my body that decides whether I can play or not," he added.
However, the former Chennai Super Kings skipper, who led CSK to five IPL titles, said he is quite content with his achievements on the field.
"It is not about whether I am happy or unhappy. Whatever has happened has happened. It cannot be changed. It's about accepting all of it. You know, whatever happens I will not be able to add one more run to my international runs, and no one will be able to reduce them," he said.
Dhoni has always been a man of the present. But, for once, he set aside that pragmatic side to reveal his wish of seeing legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh assemble in the same team once again.
"I will stick to Indian players. Viru pa opening the innings, Sachin, Dada… and now you imagine everyone at their prime. Then you will get this feeling that there can't be anyone better than them.
"It's tough to pick an all-time eleven. Now, when you see Yuvi hitting six sixes, you will feel that I don't want to watch any other batsman. It's all about enjoying what they have done for India. Some of those talents we have seen are mind blowing," he added.
