ISRO confirms magnetometer on Aditya L1 deployed

“The 6m magnetometer boom, previously stowed for 132 days, is now successfully deployed in the Halo orbit,” the announcement said.

The experiment is designed to study the low-intensity interplanetary magnetic field in space.

The boom carries two state-of-the-art high-accuracy magnetometer sensors that are placed at distances of 3 and 6 metres on a rod-like structure jutting out from the body of the spacecraft. Mounting them at these distances minimises the impact of the spacecraft-generated magnetic field on measurements. Using two sensors at a distance from each other also helps in precise estimation of influence of the spacecraft and cancels it out.

ISRO shared a photograph of the 6m magnetometer boom on X.

The rod-like boom structure is constructed of segments of carbon fibre reinforced polymer. The five segments are interconnected with spring-driven hinge mechanisms, allowing it to be folded close to the spacecraft during the journey and opening up once the orbit was reached. The mechanism fans out and the hinges then lock in their position. During the stowed condition, the boom is securely held in position by two hold-downs. Data received through the telemetry switches confirm the hold-down release, first motion, and locking of all hinges.

The observed in-orbit deployment time was approximately 9 seconds, well within the predicted range of 8 to 12 seconds, the space agency said.

Aditya L1 is a space-based observatory designed to study the Sun and its explosive phenomenon in multiple wavelengths and in different directions. The seven experiments onboard will study the radiation, particles, and magnetic field emitted by the Sun. The observatory has been placed in an orbit around the L1 or Lagrange Point 1 that allows an unobstructed view of the Sun round the clock, throughout the year. The L1 point acts like a gravitational parking spot at about 1% distance between Earth and the Sun. An orbit around the point ensures that the satellite does not expend too much fuel to stay in orbit.