HISTORIC : ISRO successfully inserts Aditya-L1 around Lagrange Point 1

The Aditya-L1 observatory has been successfully injected in the orbit around the Lagrange Point 1 or L1, kickstarting ISRO's first mission to study the Sun. The insertion was executed after 4 pm IST at the Lagrange Point located 15 lakh km away from Earth. 

ISRO launched the Aditya-L1 mission on September 2, 2023 and it orbited Earth for 16 days before leaving for L1. 

The observatory will remain at L1 for its entire mission duration (5 years) and ISRO will carry out periodical maneuvers to keep it in position. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the success at 4:14 pm IST. “India creates yet another landmark. India’s first solar observatory Aditya-L1 reaches it destination. It is a testament to the relentless dedication of our scientists in realising among the most complex and intricate space missions. I join the nation in applauding this extraordinary feat. We will continue to pursue new frontiers of science for the benefit of humanity,” PM Modi said in his post. 

Union Minister of State for Science Jitendra Singh also hailed the success on social media saying, “From Moon walk to Sun Dance! What a glorious turn of year for Bharat! Under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, yet another success story scripted by Team ISRO. Aditya-L1 reaches its final orbit to discover the mysteries of  Sun-Earth connection.”

While Lagrange Points are said to be stable due to the equilibrium established by the Earth-Sun gravity, this stability lasts for approximately 23 days. After the said time, the spacecraft could drift away from the desired spot. To avoid the drift, ISRO will fire Aditya's engines periodically to keep it in its orbit throughout the entire course of the mission. 

Apart from fuel efficiency due to stable gravity, the Lagrange Point will provide another advantage to Aditya which is an uninterrupted view of the Sun. 

The mission has several objectives which include studying the upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona) dynamics of the Sun, its plasma, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), the physics of the corona and why it is hotter than the surface, the origin of the CMEs, the solar magnetic field and much more. The observatory has been equipped with seven instruments to do the job.