LISA Pathfinder launch – fairing jettison
LISA Pathfinder launch – fairing jettison
Artist’s impression of the launch of LISA Pathfinder showing the fairing surrounding the launcher’s payload being jettisoned. The spacecraft is on its way to the first Lagrange point of the Earth-Sun system (L1). This point is located about 1.5 million kilometres from Earth in the direction of the Sun and offers ideal conditions for the scientific operation of LISA Pathfinder, with minimal variations in gravitational forces and temperature and the lowest possible disturbances from other sources. The spacecraft cannot remain at L1 for long periods, but will enter a ‘halo’ orbit around it – which may take it as far as 100,000 kilometres away from the ‘ideal’ location.
