ISRO Initiates Crucial Orbit Manoeuvre for Aditya-L1 Solar Mission: India’s solar exploration mission, Aditya-L1, is nearing a significant milestone as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) gears up for a crucial orbit manoeuvre on January 6. The spacecraft is set to enter its final orbit, marking a crucial step in its mission to observe the Sun.

Final Orbit Placement:

ISRO is poised to execute a vital orbit manoeuvre to position Aditya-L1 in a ‘halo orbit’ around Lagrange Point 1 (L1). This strategic orbit will provide an unobstructed view of the Sun.

Scheduled Timing:

The spacecraft is expected to reach its L1 point on January 6 at 4 pm, following which ISRO will perform the final manoeuvre to strategically position it in the designated halo orbit, as confirmed by ISRO Chairman S Somanath.

Lagrange Point 1 (L1):

L1 is one of the five points in space where the gravitational forces of the Sun and Earth create zones of attraction and repulsion, achieving a delicate balance. Situated approximately 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, it represents only one per cent of the total distance between the Sun and Earth.

Solar Exploration Mission:

Aditya-L1, launched on September 2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, is India’s inaugural dedicated space mission designed for solar observation. The mission aims to observe the solar corona remotely and study the solar wind in situ at L1.

Mission Objectives:

The spacecraft carries seven payloads intended to observe various aspects of the Sun, including the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost layer, the corona, in different wavebands. Aditya-L1’s mission is pivotal for advancing solar research from its unique orbit around L1.