The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that its first solar mission, Aditya-L1, has successfully achieved the Trans-Lagrangian Point 1 Insertion (TL1I) maneuver and is now on a trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth L1 point. This marks the fifth consecutive time that ISRO has successfully transferred an object onto a trajectory towards another celestial body or location in space.

The Aditya-L1 spacecraft was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Andhra Pradesh, with the primary objectives of gathering scientific data and advancing India’s solar exploration efforts. The spacecraft is equipped with the Supra Thermal and Energetic Particle Spectrometer (STEPS) instrument, which has already begun measuring supra-thermal and energetic ions and electrons at distances greater than 50,000 km from Earth. These data will help scientists analyze the behavior of particles surrounding Earth.

In approximately 110 days, the spacecraft will be injected into an orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point through a maneuver. ISRO’s successful mission showcases India’s advancements in space technology and its commitment to exploring the Sun and its effects on Earth.

Sources: ISRO, Gadgets 360

Definitions:

ISRO: Indian Space Research Organisation
Aditya-L1: The first solar mission of ISRO
Trans-Lagrangian Point 1 Insertion (TL1I): The maneuver that allowed the Aditya-L1 spacecraft to reach the trajectory towards the Sun-Earth L1 point.
Sun-Earth L1 Point: A point in space located approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth in the direction of the Sun, where the gravitational forces of the Sun and Earth are balanced.
Supra Thermal and Energetic Particle Spectrometer (STEPS): An instrument equipped on the Aditya-L1 spacecraft to measure supra-thermal and energetic ions and electrons at distances greater than 50,000 km from Earth.