Aditya-L1 Attains Successful Halo-Orbit Insertion, A Milestone In ISRO's Solar Observatory Mission Achievement
The chosen orbit boasts an orbital period of about 177.86 Earth days, ensuring a continuous and unobstructed view of the sun.
On January 6, 2024, at around 16:00 Hrs (IST), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a significant milestone with the successful Halo-Orbit Insertion (HOI) of its solar observatory spacecraft, Aditya-L1. This intricate maneuver, executed during the final phase, involved the precise firing of control engines to position Aditya-L1 into a periodic Halo orbit situated approximately 1.5 million km from Earth along the Sun-Earth line. The chosen orbit boasts an orbital period of about 177.86 Earth days, ensuring a continuous and unobstructed view of the sun.
The specific Halo orbit parameters selected for Aditya-L1—Ax: 209200 km, Ay: 663200 km, and Az: 120000 km—play a crucial role in fulfilling the mission's objectives. Placing the spacecraft in a Halo orbit at Lagrangian point L1 offers numerous advantages over a Low Earth Orbit (LEO). These include a smooth Sun-spacecraft velocity change suitable for helioseismology, positioning the spacecraft outside Earth's magnetosphere for solar wind sampling, and enabling continuous sun observation and uninterrupted communication with ground stations.
