ISRO’s Aditya L1 to enter in halo orbit at 4pm tomorrow. Here’s your briefing!
ISRO’s final manoeuver for Aditya L1 halo orbit insertion tomorrow.
ISRO is set to execute a key manoeuver on Saturday, placing the Aditya L1 spacecraft, India's first space-based solar observatory, to its final orbit located approximately 15 lakh kilometres away from Earth.
What is Lagrange point 1?
Lagrange Point 1, or L1 point, represents one of the five equilibrium positions in the Earth-Sun system. At this point, gravitational forces from both bodies counteract the centrifugal force experienced by a smaller object, enabling it to maintain a stable position.
Within the Earth-Sun system, Lagrange Point 1 (L1) specifically resides between the Earth and the Sun, approximately 15 lakh kilometres away from Earth, in the direction facing the Sun.
Also read: Will ISRO's Aditya L1 touch the Sun? No. Which solar probe has come closest
Why ISRO wants to put Aditya L1 at Lagrange point 1?
ISRO aims to position Aditya L1 at Lagrange Point 1 (L1) due to the unique stability offered by this point in the Earth-Sun system. The gravitational forces at L1 create a stable environment, making it an ideal location for scientific observations and space missions, ensuring relative stability with respect to the larger celestial bodies.
When will Aditya L1 enter the halo orbit?
According to ISRO officials, the spacecraft will be placed in a halo orbit around Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system at around 4 pm on Saturday. This will bind the Aditya L1 at the intended orbit and prevent it to move towards Sun.
What are objectives of Aditya L1?
The major science objectives of the Aditya L1 mission are:
• Study of the Solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona) dynamics.
• Study of chromospheric and coronal heating, physics of the partially ionised plasma, initiation of the coronal mass ejections, and flares.
• Observe the in-situ particle and plasma environment, providing data for the study of particle dynamics from the Sun.
• Physics of the solar corona and its heating mechanism.
• Diagnostics of the coronal and coronal loops plasma: Temperature, velocity and density.
• Development, dynamics and origin of coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
• Identify the sequence of processes that occur at multiple layers (chromosphere, base and extended corona) which eventually leads to solar eruptive events.
• Magnetic field topology and magnetic field measurements in the solar corona.
• Drivers for space weather (origin, composition and dynamics of solar wind).
Also read- Aditya L1: What ISRO wants to achieve from India's first solar mission?
Aditya L1’s 127 days journey into the space: a detailed timeline
• January 6: ISRO has planned final manoeuver to insert Aditya L1 in the halo orbit.
• December 8: In-orbit health status check of Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA). SUIT payload captures full-disk images of the Sun in near ultraviolet wavelengths.
• December 1: Solar Wind Ion Spectrometer (SWIS) in the Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) payload becomes operational.
• November 7: HELIOS captures the first High-Energy X-ray glimpse of Solar Flares.
• October 8: Trajectory Correction Manoeuver (TCM) performed to ensure the spacecraft is on its intended path towards Halo orbit insertion around L1.
• September 30: Spacecraft escapes Earth's influence, en route to Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1).
• September 25: Assessment of space situation around Sun-Earth Lagrange Point L1.
• September 19: Spacecraft travels to Sun-Earth L1 point. Commencement of scientific data collection.
• September 18: Fourth Earth-bound manoeuver (EBN#4) performed successfully, achieving a new orbit of 256 km x 121973 km.
• September 10: Third Earth-bound manoeuver (EBN#3) performed successfully, attaining a new orbit of 296 km x 71767 km.
• September 05: Second Earth-bound manoeuver (EBN#2) performed successfully, achieving a new orbit of 282 km x 40225 km.
• September 03: First Earth-bound manoeuver (EBN#1) performed successfully, placing the satellite in a new orbit of 245 km x 22459 km.
• September 02: India's first solar observatory, Aditya-L1, begins its journey to the Sun-Earth L1 point, placed precisely into its intended orbit by the successful launch of PSLV-C57.