The Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) groundbreaking solar mission, Aditya L1, is poised to achieve a crucial milestone as it enters its final orbit on the evening of January 6. Launched on September 2 last year, Aditya L1 has undergone a series of successful manoeuvres, including four earth-bound manoeuvres and a Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion (TL1I) manoeuvre.
Upon reaching its final destination, Aditya L1 will be strategically positioned in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth Lagrangian point (L1), approximately 1.5 million km from Earth. This positioning will enable the spacecraft to observe the sun without eclipses, offering valuable insights into solar activities.
Key Highlights:
1. Final Manoeuvre: The final manoeuvre, scheduled for January 6 at 4 pm, will place Aditya L1 in an elliptical orbit measuring 235×19500 km around Earth. The 63-minute and 20-second flight duration will mark a successful injection into the desired orbit.
2. Sun-Earth Lagrangian Point (L1): Aditya L1 is designed to examine the sun from a halo orbit strategically located around the Sun-Earth Lagrangian point. This unique vantage point provides stability for observational purposes.
3. Scientific Payloads, The spacecraft is equipped with seven scientific payloads, all developed indigenously by ISRO and national research laboratories. These payloads will observe the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost layers of the sun (corona) using electromagnetic particle and magnetic field detectors.
4. Lagrange Point Equilibrium:The Lagrange Point is a region where gravitational forces between Earth and the Sun reach equilibrium. While absolute neutralization is not possible due to the influence of other celestial bodies, the L1 point offers a stable position for observational activities.
ISRO Chief S Somanath emphasized the significance of Aditya L1, stating that the spacecraft would reach its L1 point on January 6, and the final manoeuvre would secure its position there. The successful execution of this mission marks a significant achievement for India’s space exploration endeavors.
