After the succesful Chandrayaan-3 mission, ISRO is now getting ready to launch its pioneering mission to study the Sun, named Aditya L1 on September 2nd. The Aditya Mission that was conceptualised in 2008, was postponed numerous times due to budget crunch.
Larsen & Toubro (L&T), known for its pivotal role in Chandrayaan, is also collaborating with ISRO on Aditya-L1 and Gaganyaan missions.
“We participate in the PSLV launch missions. We have a position manufacturing facility in Coimbatore and we do heat shields, rocket hardware, and more. The upcoming mission of Aditya -L1 and Gaganyaan, wherein humans will be orbiting the Earth. We are doing the flight-rated hardware and will be associated with the mission. L&T is also working on a module for crew and crew escape systems for the mission,” added AT Ramchandani, Executive Vice President and Head, of L&T Defence.
With a 50-year partnership with ISRO, L&T's expertise in launch vehicle hardware is prominent, including deep space network mechanisms.
The Mumbai-based multinational contributed crucial components like booster segments, nozzle bucket flange, and umbilical plates for Chandrayaan's LVM3 M4 mission.
“In Chandrayaan we contributed to the solid boosters which propelled the launch vehicle into space. Our teams supported the integration of the vehicle launcher and orbiter module onto the vehicle, tracking radars for the flight. added AT Ramchandani.
BUDGET OF ADITYA - L1 MISSION
The cost of the solar mission is Rs 378.53 crore excluding the launching costs. Initially in FY17, the mission was planned as an experimental project with a small 400 kg low-Earth orbiting satellite to study the solar corona with a budget of Rs 3 crore. Now, the scope of the project is expanded to be a comprehensive solar and space environment observatory to be placed at the L1 point.