India has launched its first observation mission to the Sun, just days after the country made history by becoming the first to land near the Moon's south pole. Aditya-L1 lifted off from the launch pad at Sriharikota on Saturday at 11:50 India time (06:20 GMT). India's space agency says it will take four months to travel that far. India's first space-based mission to study the solar system's biggest object is named after Surya - the Hindu god of Sun who is also known as Aditya. And L1 stands for Lagrange point 1 - the exact place between Sun and Earth where the Indian spacecraft is heading.

Source: Daily Sun September 03, 2023 08:16 UTC