Aditya-L1 Achieves Successful Halo-Orbit Insertion: A Milestone in India’s Solar Exploration
Introduction: On January 6, 2024, India’s solar observatory spacecraft, Aditya-L1, marked a significant achievement by successfully completing the Halo-Orbit Insertion (HOI) at approximately 16:00 Hrs (IST). This critical maneuver positions the spacecraft in a unique, three-dimensional Halo orbit around the Lagrangian point L1, offering advantages for continuous solar observation and studying the dynamics of the Sun.
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The Halo Orbit:
Aditya-L1’s orbit is a periodic Halo orbit located approximately 1.5 million km from Earth, following the Sun-Earth line. This strategic orbit ensures a mission lifetime of 5 years, minimizing fuel consumption and providing an uninterrupted view of the sun. The mission’s primary goal is to observe and understand the chromospheric and coronal dynamics of the Sun continuously.
Advantages of Halo Orbit:
Placing Aditya-L1 in a Halo orbit brings several advantages:
- Smooth Sun-Spacecraft Velocity Change: Ideal for helioseismology studies.
- Outside Earth’s Magnetosphere: Enables “in situ” sampling of the solar wind and particles.
- Unobstructed Sun Observation: Allows continuous observation of the Sun and ensures uninterrupted communication with ground stations.
Halo Orbit Insertion Process:
The insertion process commenced as Aditya-L1 crossed the XZ plane in the Sun-Earth-L1 rotating system. The spacecraft underwent a precise maneuver to nullify X and Z velocity components and achieve the required Y-velocity for the Halo orbit. The targeted parameters for the Halo orbit were Ax: 209200 km, Ay: 663200 km, and Az: 120000 km.
Mission Journey:
Aditya-L1, designed at UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) with contributions from various ISRO centers, was launched on September 2, 2023, aboard PSLV-C57. The spacecraft embarked on an extraordinary journey from an elliptical parking orbit to the Sun-Earth-L1 Lagrange point. Five liquid engine burns were executed during the Earth orbit phase to progressively increase the orbital size. The trans-L1 injection maneuver was carefully executed to minimize velocity additions and exposure to radiation belts.
Testing and Pre-Commissioning:
All payloads onboard Aditya-L1, developed by Indian scientific laboratories (IIA, IUCAA, and ISRO), underwent thorough testing during the pre-commissioning phase. The performance of all payloads has been confirmed as satisfactory.
Aditya-L1’s Conclusion:
The successful Halo-Orbit Insertion is a testament to ISRO’s capabilities in handling complex orbital maneuvers and positions Aditya-L1 for groundbreaking solar observations. This achievement not only reflects India’s prowess in space exploration but also instills confidence for future interplanetary missions. Aditya-L1’s journey, from launch to Halo orbit insertion, marks a significant chapter in India’s quest to unravel the mysteries of the Sun and deepen our understanding of solar dynamics.
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