Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Muskan Arora
Aditya-L1 achieved a significant milestone by entering the halo orbit around Lagrange Point 1 (L1) on Saturday, marking a key success for ISRO's solar mission.
Launched on September 2, 2023, the solar probe underwent a complex journey involving Earth-bound manoeuvres and a Trans-Lagrangian Point 1 Insertion manoeuvre.
The spacecraft's 440N Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) facilitated the final insertion into the halo orbit, a critical manoeuvre used during the ISRO's Mars Orbiter Mission as well.
Aditya-L1's halo orbit around L1 will ensure an uninterrupted view of the Sun, free from eclipses, enabling comprehensive solar observations.
ISRO, in collaboration with NASA, will conduct periodic Orbit Determination (OD) analyses to monitor and adjust the spacecraft's trajectory to maintain equilibrium.
The Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS) equipped with sensors and actuators will ensure the spacecraft's stability against gravitational disturbances during the mission.
Aditya-L1 has seven scientific payloads developed by ISRO and national research laboratories, which will focus on observing the Sun's photosphere, chromosphere, and corona.
As the spacecraft settles into its halo orbit, the mission team will calibrate instruments, evaluate remaining payloads, and prepare for the primary mission, which will contribute to in-depth understanding of the Sun and space weather phenomena.