The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) made a significant announcement on Sunday, October 8, 2023, regarding the Aditya L1 spacecraft. ISRO revealed that it had successfully executed a trajectory correction maneuver (TCM) on the Aditya L1 mission. This mission, India’s maiden solar exploration, is en route to the first Lagrange point (L1) situated between the Sun and Earth.
Understanding the Trajectory Correction Maneuver (TCM)
A trajectory correction maneuver (TCM) is a standard procedure utilized to ensure that spacecraft remain on their designated paths. This maneuver holds particular significance for missions like Aditya L1, which embarks on a challenging journey to a distant destination.
ISRO shared this development on Twitter, stating, “A Trajectory Correction Maneuver (TCM), originally provisioned, was performed on October 6, 2023, for about 16 s. It was needed to correct the trajectory evaluated after tracking the Trans-Lagrangean Point 1 Insertion (TL1I) maneuver performed on September 19, 2023.”
Aditya L1: India’s First Solar Mission
On September 10, 2023, India’s inaugural solar mission, Aditya L1, successfully executed its third earth-bound maneuver. This achievement brought the spacecraft one step closer to its ultimate destination, a halo orbit encircling the first Lagrange point (L1) positioned between the Sun and Earth.
ISRO confirmed this successful maneuver on Twitter, revealing that the spacecraft now orbits at 296 km x 71,767 km. Aditya L1 is slated to undertake a total of five orbit maneuvers during its journey around Earth, with three completed to date. The next scheduled maneuver is set for September 15, 2023, at 2:00 AM IST.
The Significance of Lagrange L1
To reach the Lagrange L1 point, the spacecraft will employ onboard propulsion. This launch will enable it to break free from Earth’s gravitational pull and proceed toward the L1 point. Subsequently, the spacecraft will be inserted into a large Halo Orbit around the L1 point, which is situated in close proximity to the Sun. ISRO has noted that the Aditya-L1 Mission is expected to take approximately four months from launch to reaching the L1 point.
