Aditya-L1 performs 'Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion' manoeuvre successfully: ISRO

In a significant milestone for India's space exploration efforts, the Aditya L1 spacecraft, the nation's first mission dedicated to studying the Sun, performed a key manoeuvre on its journey to unlock the mysteries of our nearest star. After orbiting the Earth since its successful launch on September 2, the spacecraft embarked on a crucial manoeuvre in the early hours of Tuesday, marking the beginning of its approximately 110-day trajectory toward the L1 Lagrange point.

The Trans-Lagrangian Point 1 Insertion manoeuvre represents a pivotal step in Aditya-L1's mission. The L1 Lagrange point is a gravitationally balanced location situated between the Earth and the Sun, making it an ideal vantage point for solar observation. This marks the fifth consecutive successful trajectory transfer by ISRO.

"Off to Sun-Earth L1 point! The Trans-Lagrangian Point 1 Insertion (TL1I) manoeuvre is performed successfully. The spacecraft is now on a trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth L1 point. It will be injected into an orbit around L1 through a manoeuvre after about 110 days," ISRO said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Aditya-L1 Mission:
Off to Sun-Earth L1 point!

The Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion (TL1I) maneuvre is performed successfully.

The spacecraft is now on a trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth L1 point. It will be injected into an orbit around L1 through a maneuver… pic.twitter.com/H7GoY0R44I

— ISRO (@isro) September 18, 2023

Aditya-L1: India's Solar Observer

Aditya-L1, which was launched aboard ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C57), is a pioneering space-based observatory designed to scrutinize the Sun's outer atmosphere. The spacecraft will maintain a halo orbit around the first Sun-Earth Lagrange point (L1), located approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. This strategic location allows Aditya-L1 to capture unprecedented data about the Sun, despite never coming into close proximity to the star itself.

The Sun, a massive sphere of hot gas, holds many secrets about our solar system's dynamics, and Aditya-L1's mission is to uncover them. It will not touch or approach the Sun's surface but will focus on studying its outer layers.

Journey and Scientific Payloads

Since its launch, Aditya-L1 has undergone four Earth-bound manoeuvres on September 3, 5, 10, and 15, respectively. These manoeuvres provided the spacecraft with the necessary velocity to propel it towards the L1 point. Upon reaching the L1 point, another manoeuvre will establish Aditya-L1 in its designated orbit.

Throughout its mission, Aditya-L1 will continuously orbit L1 in an irregularly shaped path, perpendicular to the line connecting the Earth and the Sun. The spacecraft is anticipated to reach its intended orbit at the L1 point approximately 127 days after its launch.

Aditya-L1 is equipped with seven scientific payloads developed by ISRO and various national research laboratories, including the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru and the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune. These payloads are poised to provide crucial data about coronal heating, coronal mass ejections, pre-flare and flare activities, space weather dynamics, and the propagation of particles and fields, aiding scientists in understanding the Sun's behaviour and its impact on space weather.

The Aditya L1 mission represents a significant leap forward in India's space exploration capabilities and its contributions to solar science. As Aditya-L1 embarks on its journey to the L1 Lagrange point, the scientific community eagerly anticipates the wealth of knowledge it will bring back from our nearest star.