Aditya L-1 Nears Sun-Earth L1 After Successful Fifth Maneuver

On Tuesday, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) revealed that its inaugural solar mission, Aditya L-1 , achieved a significant milestone by successfully executing the Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion (TL1I) maneuver.

As a result, the spacecraft is now precisely following the trajectory leading it to the Sun-Earth L1 point. This achievement marks the ISRO's fifth consecutive success in transferring an object to its intended destination within the vast realm of space.

In a post on the social media platform X, formerly called Twitter, ISRO wrote, “Aditya-L1 Mission: Off to Sun-Earth L1 point! The Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion (TL1I) maneuvre is performed successfully. The spacecraft is now on a trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth L1 point. It will be injected into an orbit around L1 through a maneuver after about 110 days.”

The L-1 point offers a consistent vantage point of the Sun , making it an optimal location for investigating solar activities and their impact on space weather, as reported by India Today. Earlier, the ISRO announced the commencement of the data collection phase for the Aditya L-1 mission, marking a successful start to its mission objectives.

India's inaugural solar mission, Aditya L-1, recently executed its fourth Earth-bound maneuver on September 15. The mission's initial Earth-bound maneuver, designated as EBN#1, was successfully conducted at ISTRAC, Bengaluru, on the launch date, September 2, 2023.

The Aditya L-1 mission represents a partnership between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and six other Indian institutes. This groundbreaking mission marks India's inaugural foray into space-based observatory-class solar exploration, with its primary objective being the in-depth study of the Sun. Aditya L-1 aims to meticulously observe the Sun's various layers, including the photosphere, chromosphere, and the outermost corona, utilizing an array of electromagnetic particle and magnetic field detectors.