ISRO looks to safeguard Aditya-L1 mission with Lagrange Point 1 assessment

Aditya-L1 mission is en route to Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1), embarking on its groundbreaking journey.

On September 2, 2023, India's Aditya-L1 spacecraft was launched, marking India's inaugural mission solely dedicated to Sun exploration.

The spacecraft initiated its voyage towards L1 on September 18, aiming to arrive at L1 by January 2024.

Aditya-L1 is designed to traverse a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point, situated 1.5 million kilometres from Earth. These orbits are characterised by periodic, 3D paths around Lagrange Points, forming a halo.

L1 currently hosts four operational spacecraft: WIND, Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE), and Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR).

These spacecraft at L1 serve a crucial role in early warning systems for space weather events, protecting both space assets and ground-based infrastructure.

Despite the vast distances between spacecraft at L1, safety assessments are essential due to positional uncertainties and the influence of perturbative forces.

Determining the orbits in Lagrange Point Orbit (LPO) involves collecting tracking data over several days, with accuracy typically within a few kilometres.

ISRO plans to periodically analyse Aditya-L1's orbit to prevent close encounters with neighbouring spacecraft, ensuring mission safety, with support from NASA-JPL.

ISRO's proactive space situation assessment around L1 guarantees the safety and success of the Aditya-L1 mission as it embarks on its solar study journey.