Ahmedabad's Physical Research Laboratory to study the sun

India plans to launch a mission to study the sun and its outermost corona region with the Physical Research Laboratory's (PRL) new Lagrangian Point One (L-1) Project, the Chairman of the Council of Management at Physical Research Laboratory, U R Rao, said here today.
"We have started the L-1 mission. L-1 will help us study the sun and the corona," U R Rao said told reporters, after presenting the Vikram Sarabhai Awards at PRL here today.
The Lagrangian point marks positions where combined gravitational pull of two large masses provides precisely the centripetal force required to orbit with them. The L-1 point lies on the line defined by two large masses and between them.

Rao was here today to present the Vikram Sarabhai and PRL awards to six scientists. He also stressed on the need of government funds for the space sciences sector.
"We are not as resourceful as America. We need funds in the space science sector," Rao said, talking to reporters.
Speaking at the awards ceremony earlier, Rao said that PRL should take the lead to encourage innovations and experiments in the field of space science.
"Why should we depend on other countries when we have the capabilities? We have the latest and updated technologies. We have to think about something innovative and encourage innovations in the field of science," Rao said.

"One cannot become good scientists merely by preparing research papers. The implementation of such research is also necessary," Rao said.