RNS: In a significant milestone for India’s space exploration endeavours, the Aditya L1 spacecraft, triumphantly executed its fourth earth-bound orbit manoeuvre earlier today.
The Aditya L1 is the nation’s pioneering mission aimed at studying the Sun.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) took to its official communication channel X (formally Twitter) to announce this major development. Ground stations located in Mauritius, Bengaluru, SDSC-SHAR, and Port Blair played a pivotal role in monitoring and tracking the spacecraft throughout this operation.
The spacecraft’s new orbit has been established at an altitude of 256 kilometers by 121,973 kilometers.
The next crucial phase (manoeuvre) in the Aditya L1 mission, known as the Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion (TL1I), which essentially serves as the spacecraft’s farewell from Earth’s gravitational influence, is slated to take place on September 19, at approximately 02:00 Hrs. IST.
With the completion of these four earth-bound orbital manoeuvres, Aditya-L1 is now primed to enter the Trans-Lagrangian1 ion manoeuvre, marking the commencement of its approximately 110-day journey toward its destination around the L1 Lagrange point.
The Aditya-L1 spacecraft, a trailblazing Indian space-based observatory, has a singular mission to study the Sun from a halo orbit around the first Sun-Earth Lagrangian point (L1), positioned approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.
This strategic location endows the spacecraft with a significant advantage, allowing it to continuously observe the Sun without any interruptions caused by occultation or eclipses.
The ability to monitor solar activities without disruptions holds immense significance for studying space weather in real-time, providing invaluable insights into the Sun’s behaviour and its potential impact on our technological infrastructure and communication systems.
India’s Aditya L1 mission is a testament to the nation’s commitment to advancing its space exploration and scientific research capabilities.
As the spacecraft embarks on its journey to unlock the mysteries of the Sun, the world eagerly anticipates the groundbreaking discoveries and insights it will bring to the field of solar science.
