India’s solar mission: ISRO’s Aditya-L1 placed in halo orbit, PM Narendra Modi appreciates
3 min readExpanding India’s house exploration, Aditya-L1, the nation’s first mission to check the solar, was parked at Lagrange Point 1 on Saturday, Indian Space Research Organisation stated.
“Halo-Orbit Insertion (HOI) of its solar observatory spacecraft, Aditya-L1 was achieved at 16.00 Hrs (approx) on January 6, 2024 (IST). The last part of the maneuver concerned firing of management engines for a brief length,” ISRO stated in a press release.
The orbit of Aditya-L1 spacecraft is a periodic Halo orbit which is positioned roughly 1.5 million km from earth on the constantly transferring Sun – Earth line with an orbital interval of about 177.86 earth days. This Halo orbit is a periodic, three-dimensional orbit at L1 involving Sun, Earth and a spacecraft.
This particular halo orbit is chosen to make sure a mission lifetime of 5 years, minimising station-keeping manoeuvres and thus gas consumption and guaranteeing a steady, unobstructed view of the solar.
Indian leaders congratulate
Indian PM Narendra Modi described the second as a ‘landmark’.
Indian PM Narendra Modi posted on X: “India creates one more landmark. India’s first solar observatory Aditya-L1 reaches it’s vacation spot. It is a testomony to the relentless dedication of our scientists in realising among the many most advanced and complex house missions. I be a part of the nation in applauding this extraordinary feat. We will proceed to pursue new frontiers of science for the advantage of humanity.”
President Droupadi Murmu wrote on X: “Another grand feat achieved by ISRO! As a part of India’s maiden solar mission, Aditya L1, the observatory has been placed in the ultimate orbit and reached its vacation spot at Lagrange Point 1. Congratulations to the complete Indian scientist group for the good achievement! This mission will improve our information of the Sun-Earth System and profit the complete humanity. Significant participation of ladies scientists in ISRO missions takes ladies empowerment too onto a better orbit.”
Aditya-L1 Mission
The Aditya-L1 mission is an Indian solar observatory at Lagrangian level L1 for “Observing and understanding the chromospheric and coronal dynamics of the Sun” in a steady method.
Placing the Aditya-L1 in a halo orbit round L1 level has benefits as in comparison with inserting in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
It gives a easy Sun-spacecraft velocity change all through the orbit, applicable for helioseismology.
It is exterior of the magnetosphere of Earth, thus appropriate for the “in situ” sampling of the solar wind and particles.
It permits unobstructed, steady remark of the Sun, and think about of earth for enabling steady communication to floor stations.
Halo orbit insertion
The halo orbit insertion course of commenced because the spacecraft crossed the XZ aircraft in the Sun-Earth- L1 rotating system, with the required orbital state. The insertion maneuver is important to nullify the X and Z velocity elements and attain the required Y-velocity in the L1 rotating body for the required Halo orbit.
“The focused Halo-orbit for Aditya-L1 is Ax: 209200 km, Ay : 663200 km and Az : 120000 km,” learn a press release issued by ISRO.
The insertion of Aditya-L1 into this Halo orbit presents a vital mission part, which demanded exact navigation and management.
A profitable insertion additional concerned fixed monitoring together with the adjustment of the spacecraft’s pace and place by utilizing onboard thrusters.
The success of this insertion not solely signifies ISRO’s capabilities in such advanced orbital manoeuvres, however it however offers confidence to deal with future interplanetary missions.