- ISRO successfully placed the Aditya L1 satellite into its final orbit around the Lagrangian point on January 6, 2024.
- The Halo orbit around the L1 point is considered a challenging task, and ISRO used a meticulous approach, employing the motor and thrusters from the Ground Command Centre, located approximately 1.5 million km away.
- The propulsion system of Aditya L1 includes a 440 Newton Liquid Apogee Motor, eight 22 Newton thrusters, and four 10 Newton thrusters, which were intermittently fired to position the spacecraft at the L1 point.
- Aditya L1 is India’s first solar mission designed to observe and study the Sun’s Corona, exploring its extreme heat and its impact on Earth.
- The Lagrangian Point (L1) is where gravitational forces between the Earth and the Sun achieve equilibrium, allowing observation of the Sun without the hindrance of an eclipse.
- Aditya L1, launched from Sriharikota, underwent four Earth-bound maneuvers and a Trans Lagrangian Point Insertion maneuver as part of its mission.
Q: What is the Lagrangian Point (L1) ?
a. A point where two spacecraft collide
b. A point where gravitational forces reach equilibrium between Earth and the Moon
c. A point where gravitational forces reach equilibrium between Earth and the Sun
d. A point in space where there is no gravitational force
Ans : c. A point where gravitational forces reach equilibrium between Earth and the Sun
