Aditya-L1 finishes its first revolution around Lagrange Point 1 in 178 days

Aditya-L1, India's first solar observatory mission, has finished its first halo orbit at Lagrange Point 1 in just 178 days. Launched on September 2, 2023, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft was inserted into its targeted halo orbit on January 6 this year. The orbit is about approximately 1.5 million km from Earth.

"During its travel in the halo orbit, Aditya-L1 spacecraft was be subjected to various perturbing forces that may have caused it to depart from the targeted orbit. It underwent two station-keeping maneuvers on February 22 and June 7, respectively, to maintain this orbit. Today's 3rd station-keeping maneuver has ensured that its travel continued in to the second halo orbit path around L1," ISRO said in a statement on July 2.

"The journey of Aditya L1 around Sun-Earth L1 Lagrangian point involves modeling of complex dynamics. The understanding of various perturbing forces acting on the spacecraft helped in determining the trajectory accurately and planning precise orbit maneuvers. With today's maneuver, the state-of-the-art flight dynamics software developed in-house at URSC-ISRO for the Aditya-L1 missions stands fully validated," ISRO added.

Isro said that if the firing of the thrusters during this manoeuvre was not accurate, the spacecraft could have moved away from its intended trajectory.

The Aditya-L1 satellite is equipped with seven payloads designed to observe the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona of the Sun utilizing electromagnetic and particle detectors. Positioned at the L1 point, this spacecraft offers an exceptional vantage point that enables uninterrupted and comprehensive observations of the Sun over the course of the next five years.

The recent accomplishment of Aditya-L1's inaugural halo orbit signifies India's advancing prowess in executing intricate space missions and ventures into interplanetary exploration. This mission is slated to offer invaluable knowledge in the realms of solar physics and space weather, with wide-ranging benefits for scientific endeavors and practical applications alike.