List of objects at Lagrange points explained

This is a list of known objects which occupy, have occupied, or are planned to occupy any of the five Lagrange points of two-body systems in space.

Sun–Earth Lagrange points

Sun–Earth L1

is the Lagrange point located approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth towards the Sun.

Past probes

Present probes

Planned probes

Sun–Earth L2

is the Lagrange point located approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth in the direction opposite the Sun. Spacecraft at the Sun–Earth L2 point are in a Lissajous orbit until decommissioned, when they are sent into a heliocentric graveyard orbit.

Past probes

Present probes

Planned probes

Cancelled probes

Sun–Earth L3

is the Sun–Earth Lagrange point located on the side of the Sun opposite Earth, slightly outside the Earth's orbit. Direct communication with spacecraft in this position is blocked by the sun.

Sun–Earth L4

is the Sun–Earth Lagrange point located close to the Earth's orbit 60° ahead of Earth.

Sun–Earth L5

is the Sun–Earth Lagrange point located close to the Earth's orbit 60° behind Earth.

Proposed

Earth–Moon Lagrange points

Earth–Moon L2

Earth–Moon L4 and L5

Past probes

Proposed objects

Sun–Venus Lagrange points

L4

Sun–Mars Lagrange points

Asteroids in the and Sun–Mars Lagrangian points are sometimes called Mars trojans, with a lower-case t, as "Trojan asteroid" was originally defined as a term for Lagrangian asteroids of Jupiter. They may also be called Mars Lagrangian asteroids.

L5

Source: Minor Planet Center http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/MarsTrojans.html

Sun–Ceres Lagrange points

Sun–Jupiter Lagrange points

Asteroids in the and Sun–Jupiter Lagrangian points are known as Jupiter Trojan asteroids or simply Trojan asteroids.

L4

L5

Planned

Saturn–Tethys Lagrange points

L4

L5

Saturn–Dione Lagrange points

L4

L5

Sun–Uranus Lagrange points

L3

L4

Sun–Neptune Lagrange points

Minor planets in the and Sun–Neptune Lagrangian points are called Neptune trojans, with a lower-case t, as "Trojan asteroid" was originally defined as a term for Lagrangian asteroids of Jupiter.

Data from: Minor Planet Center http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/lists/NeptuneTrojans.html

L4

L5

Tables of missions

Color key:

Lagrangian point missions
scope=colMissionscope=colLagrangian pointscope=colAgencyscope=col class="unsortable"Description
scope=rowInternational Sun–Earth Explorer 3 (ISEE-3)Sun–Earth Launched in 1978, it was the first spacecraft to be put into orbit around a libration point, where it operated for four years in a halo orbit about the Sun–Earth point. After the original mission ended, it was commanded to leave in September 1982 in order to investigate comets and the Sun.[21] Now in a heliocentric orbit, an unsuccessful attempt to return to halo orbit was made in 2014 when it made a flyby of the Earth–Moon system.[22] [23]
scope=rowAdvanced Composition Explorer (ACE)Sun–Earth NASA Launched 1997. Has fuel to orbit near L1 until 2024. Operational .[24]
scope=rowDeep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR)Sun–Earth NASA Launched on 11 February 2015. Planned successor of the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) satellite.
scope=rowLISA Pathfinder (LPF) Sun–Earth ESA, NASA Launched one day behind revised schedule (planned for the 100th anniversary of the publication of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity), on 3 December 2015. Arrived at L1 on 22 January 2016.[25] LISA Pathfinder was deactivated on 30 June 2017.[26]
scope=rowSolar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Sun–Earth ESA, NASA Orbiting near L1 since 1996. Operational .[27]
scope=rowSun–Earth NASA Arrived at L1 in 2004 with fuel for 60 years. Operational .[28]
scope=rowWilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Sun–Earth NASA Arrived at L2 in 2001. Mission ended 2010,[29] then sent to solar orbit outside L2.[30]
scope=rowSun–Earth ESAArrived at L2 July 2009. Ceased operation on 29 April 2013; will be moved to a heliocentric orbit.[31] [32]
scope=rowPlanck Space Observatory Sun–Earth ESAArrived at L2 July 2009. Mission ended on 23 October 2013; Planck has been moved to a heliocentric parking orbit.[33]
scope=rowSun–Earth CNSAArrived in August 2011 after completing a lunar mission before departing en route to asteroid 4179 Toutatis in April 2012.
scope=rowEarth–Moon and NASA Mission consists of two spacecraft, which were the first spacecraft to reach Earth–Moon Lagrangian points. Both moved through Earth–Moon Lagrangian points, and are now in lunar orbit.[34] [35]
scope=rowSun–Earth NASA Arrived at L2 in November 2003 and departed April 2004.
scope=rowSun–Earth ESA Launched 19 December 2013.[36] Operational .[37]
scope=rowEarth–Moon Launched on 23 October 2014, arrived at L2 halo orbit on 13 January 2015.
scope=rowEarth–Moon Launched on 21 May 2018, arrived at L2 halo orbit on June 14 for Chang'e 4 mission.[38] Queqiao is the first ever communication relay and radio astronomy satellite at operating its location.[39]
scope=rowSun–Earth Launched 13 July 2019. Roentgen and Gamma space observatory. Operational as of June 2020.[40]
scope=rowJames Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Sun–Earth NASA, ESA, CSALaunched on 25 December 2021, arrived at L2 point on 24 January 2022. Operational as of 2022.[41]
scope=rowEuclidSun–Earth ESA, NASALaunched on 1 July 2023, arrived at L2 point on 28 July 2023. Currently in testing phase as of September 2023.[42]
scope=rowAditya-L1Sun–Earth Launched on 2 September 2023[43] and was successfully inserted into an orbit about Sun-Earth L1 point on 6 January 2024.[44]

Future and proposed missions

scope=colMissionscope=colLagrangian pointscope=colAgencyscope=colDescription
scope=row"Lunar Far-Side Communication Satellites"Earth–Moon NASAProposed in 1968 for communications on the far side of the Moon during the Apollo program,
mainly to enable an Apollo landing on the far side—neither the satellites nor the landing were ever realized.[45]
scope=rowSpace colonization and manufacturingEarth–Moon or First proposed in 1974 by Gerard K. O'Neill[46] and subsequently advocated by the L5 Society.
scope=rowEQUULEUSEarth–Moon University of Tokyo, JAXA6U CubeSat, launch planned in 2021 as a secondary payload onboard SLS Artemis 1.[47]
scope=rowDESTINY+Earth–Moon JAXAJAXA "Medium-Sized Focused Mission"; launch planned for 2025.[48]
scope=rowExploration Gateway PlatformEarth–Moon [49] NASAProposed in 2011.[50]
scope=rowNancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (WFIRST)Sun–Earth NASA, USDOELaunch planned for 2026.[51]
scope=rowLiteBIRDSun–Earth [52] JAXA, NASAJAXA's next "Strategic Large Mission"; launch planned for 2032.[53] [54]
scope=rowInterstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP)Sun–Earth NASA Planned for launch in early 2025.
scope=rowSpace Weather Follow On - Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1)Sun–Earth NOAA Planned for launch in early 2025 as a rideshare to IMAP.
scope=rowPlanetary Transits and Oscillations of stars (PLATO)Sun–Earth ESAPlanned for launch in 2026 for an initial six-year mission.[55]
scope=rowSpace Infrared Telescope for Cosmology
and Astrophysics
(SPICA)
Sun–Earth JAXA, ESA, SRON, awaiting approval from both Japanese and European side, launch proposed for 2032.
scope=rowAdvanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics
(ATHENA)
Sun–Earth ESALaunch planned for 2035.[56]
scope=rowESA VigilSun–Earth ESAObservatory for early warning of increased solar activity. Launch planned for 2029.
scope=rowSun Chaser[57] Sun–Earth Observatory for early warning of solar particle events. Early proposal phase.
scope=rowSpektr-MSun–Earth Possible launch after 2030.[58]

See also

Notes and References

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  2. Web site: Chang'e 5 Test Mission Updates. Spaceflight 101. 14 December 2014.
  3. Web site: NOAA's Satellite and Information Service (NESDIS). US Department of Commerce, NOAA Satellites and Information Service. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150608182042/http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news_archives/DSCOVR_L1_orbit.html. 2015-06-08.
  4. Web site: At long last: Al Gore's satellite dream blasts off. 7 February 2015. USA TODAY.
  5. Mellow, Craig (August 2014). "Al Gore's Satellite". Air & Space/Smithsonian. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  6. Web site: Kumar . Chethan . Aditya reaches halo orbit around L1 point, Sun study to begin soon . 6 January 2024 . 6 January 2024 . The Times of India.
  7. Web site: 2 September 2023 . Aditya L1 Mission: Aditya L1 Launch LIVE Updates: Aditya L1 spacecraft successfully separated from PSLV rocket, now en route to Sun-Earth L1 point. ISRO says mission accomplished . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230903115715/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/newsblogs/aditya-l1-live-news-updates-isro-first-solar-mission-launch-02-september-2023/liveblog/103297403.cms . 3 September 2023 . 2 September 2023 . The Economic Times . en.
  8. Web site: Mission Complete! WMAP Fires Its Thrusters For The Last Time . 2022-01-11 . 2012-07-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120714021615/http://news.discovery.com/space/mission-complete-wmap-fires-its-thrusters-for-the-last-time.html . dead .
  9. Web site: WIND Solar-Terrestrial Mission. ESA Earth Observation Portal. December 31, 2021.
  10. News: Herschel Space Telescope Shut Down For Good, ESA Announces . Huffington Post . Adam. Toobin. 2013-06-19.
  11. Web site: China's Moon orbiter Chang'e-2 travels 1.5 km into outer space. 2011-08-30. 2011-08-31. The Economic Times.
  12. Web site: Update on yesterday's post about Chang'e 2 going to Toutatis. Planetary Society. 15 June 2012. 26 June 2012. Lakdawalla. Emily. Emily Lakdawalla.
  13. Man-To . Hui . Paul A. . Wiegert . David J. . Tholen . Dora . Föhring . The Second Earth Trojan 2020 XL5 . The Astrophysical Journal Letters . November 2021 . 922 . 2 . L25 . 10.3847/2041-8213/ac37bf . 2111.05058 . 2021ApJ...922L..25H . 243860678 . free .
  14. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/news/gravity_parking.html NASA - Join STEREO and Explore Gravitational "Parking Lots" That May Hold Secret of Moon's Origin
  15. Web site: 太陽−地球系のL5点付近の観測の結果について . . 23 August 2017 . 2018-06-22 . ja.
  16. Slíz-Balogh . Judith . Barta . András . Horváth . Gábor . Celestial mechanics and polarization optics of the Kordylewski dust cloud in the Earth–Moon Lagrange point L5 – I. Three-dimensional celestial mechanical modelling of dust cloud formation . 11 November 2018 . . 480 . 4 . 5550–5559 . 10.1093/mnras/sty2049 . free . 1910.07466 . 2018MNRAS.480.5550S .
  17. Hornig . Andreas . TYCHO: Supporting Permanently Crewed Lunar Exploration with High-Speed Optical Communication from Everywhere . ESA . 2022-05-01.
  18. Hornig . Andreas . TYCHO mission to Earth-Moon libration point EML-4 @ IAC 2013 . IAC2013 . 2013-10-06.
  19. "Hiten", NSSDC.GSFC.NASA.gov.
  20. 1303.5774 . 10.1126/science.1238072 . A Uranian Trojan and the Frequency of Temporary Giant-Planet Co-Orbitals . 2013 . Alexandersen . Mike . Gladman . Brett . Greenstreet . Sarah . Kavelaars . J. J. . Petit . Jean-Marc . Gwyn . Stephen . Science . 341 . 6149 . 994–997 . 23990557 . 2013Sci...341..994A .
  21. Web site: Solar System Exploration: ISEE-3/ICE . NASA . 2010-09-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110614064824/http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/profile.cfm?MCode=ISEEICE&Display=ReadMore . 2011-06-14 . dead .
  22. Web site: Emily . Lakdawalla . Emily Lakdawalla . It's Alive! . The Planetary Science Weblog . October 3, 2008 . January 11, 2022 . February 20, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120220052909/http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001673/ . dead .
  23. News: Rudderless Craft to Get Glimpse of Home Before Sinking Into Space's Depths . . Kenneth . Chang . August 8, 2014.
  24. Web site: ACE MAG Spectrograms: 1 day starting 2019/3/15 (2019 074). www.srl.caltech.edu. 2020-02-12.
  25. Web site: LISA Pathfinder factsheet . . 11 June 2012. 26 June 2012.
  26. Web site: LISA Pathfinder Will Concludee Trailblazing Mission . 20 June 2017 . ESA Science and Technology . ESA . 17 August 2017 .
  27. Web site: The Very Latest SOHO Images. sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov. 2020-02-12.
  28. Web site: 25 Years of Science in the Solar Wind. Tran. Lina. 2019-10-31. NASA. 2020-02-12.
  29. Web site: WMAP Facts . NASA . 2013-03-18 .
  30. http://map.gsfc.nasa.gov/news/events.html WMAP Ceases Communications
  31. Web site: Herschel Factsheet . European Space Agency . 2009-05-12 . 17 April 2009.
  32. News: Herschel space telescope finishes mission . BBC News . 29 April 2013.
  33. Web site: Last command sent to ESA's Planck space telescope. European Space Agency. October 23, 2013. October 23, 2013.
  34. Web site: Fox. Karen C.. First ARTEMIS Spacecraft Successfully Enters Lunar Orbit. The Sun-Earth Connection: Heliophysics. 25 March 2015 . NASA.
  35. Web site: Hendrix. Susan. Second ARTEMIS Spacecraft Successfully Enters Lunar Orbit. The Sun-Earth Connection: Heliophysics. 25 March 2015 . NASA.
  36. Web site: Worldwide launch schedule . Spaceflight Now . 27 November 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100530232910/http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html . 30 May 2010 .
  37. Web site: ESA Science & Technology - Fact Sheet. sci.esa.int. 2020-02-12.
  38. Web site: China launches Queqiao relay satellite to support Chang'e 4 lunar far side landing mission . . Andrew . Jones . 21 May 2018 . 22 May 2018 . 22 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180522112109/https://gbtimes.com/china-launches-queqiao-relay-satellite-to-support-change-4-lunar-far-side-landing-mission . dead .
  39. News: Xu . Luyuan . How China's lunar relay satellite arrived in its final orbit . The Planetary Society . 15 June 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181017123833/http://www.planetary.org/blogs/guest-blogs/2018/20180615-queqiao-orbit-explainer.html . 17 October 2018.
  40. Web site: Illustration of the Spektr-RG spacecraft . 24 June 2020. 25 December 2021.
  41. News: James Webb Space Telescope lifts off on historic mission. BBC News . 25 December 2021 . en. 2021-12-25.
  42. Web site: Follow Euclid's first months in space . 25 August 2023 . 2 September 2023 . ESA.
  43. Web site: Graham . William . India launches first solar research mission, Aditya-L1, aboard PSLV . 2 September 2023 . 2 September 2023 . NASASpaceFlight.
  44. Web site: Halo-Orbit Insertion of Aditya-L1 Successfully Accomplished . 2024-01-06 . www.isro.gov.in.
  45. Web site: Lunar far-side communication satellites . P.E. . Schmid . July 28, 1967 . . 2020-09-14 .
  46. The Colonization of Space. O'Neill. Gerard K.. Physics Today. 27. 9. 32–40. September 1974. 10.1063/1.3128863. 1974PhT....27i..32O. free.
  47. Web site: Extended Tisserand graph and multiple lunar swing-by design with Sun perturbation . JAXA . 3 March 2016 . 2016-06-07.
  48. Web site: DESTINYについて . 2015-10-23. ja. https://web.archive.org/web/20151007050659/http://destiny.isas.jaxa.jp/about.html. 2015-10-07. dead.
  49. Web site: NASA teams evaluating ISS-built Exploration Platform roadmap. June 15, 2012.
  50. Web site: Exploration Gateway Platform hosting Reusable Lunar Lander proposed . Chris . Bergin . December 2011. NASA Spaceflight.com . 2011-12-05 .
  51. Web site: The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope . . . 21 August 2021.
  52. Web site: LiteBIRD . Masahashi . Hazumi . indico.cern . 1 September 2015 . PDF . 2015-10-23.
  53. Web site: The origin of the Universe will be unveiled by the LiteBIRD cryogenic satellite . . 3 July 2023 . 26 December 2023.
  54. Web site: Montier . L. . LiteBIRD Overview . . 10 July 2019 . 21 August 2021.
  55. Web site: ESA selects planet-hunting PLATO mission. ESA. 19 February 2014. 25 April 2016.
  56. Web site: ESA Science & Technology: Athena to study the hot and energetic Universe. ESA. 27 June 2014. 23 August 2014.
  57. Web site: Sun Chaser - A Mission to the Earth-Sun Lagrangian Point 4. NASA. 7 September 2022. 20 October 2023.
  58. Web site: В РАН рассказали, когда состоится запуск космического телескопа "Спектр-М". РИА Новости. 2019-06-29. 2019-07-13.