Sun–Earth L1 is the Lagrange point located approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth towards the Sun.
Past probes •
International Cometary Explorer, formerly the International Sun–Earth Explorer 3 (ISEE-3), diverted out of in 1983 for a comet rendezvous mission. Currently in
heliocentric orbit. The Sun–Earth L1 is also the point to which the Reboot ISEE-3 mission was attempting to return the craft as the first phase of a recovery mission (as of September 25, 2014 all efforts have failed and contact was lost). • NASA's
Genesis probe collected solar wind samples at from December 3, 2001, to April 1, 2004, when it returned the sample capsule to Earth. It returned briefly in late 2004 before being pushed into heliocentric orbit in early 2005. •
LISA Pathfinder (LPF) was launched on 3 December 2015, and arrived at on 22 January 2016, where, among other experiments, it tested the technology needed by (e)LISA to detect gravitational waves. LISA Pathfinder used an instrument consisting of two small gold alloy cubes. • The
Chang'e 5 orbiter (during extended mission. After ferrying lunar samples back to Earth in 2020, the transport module was sent to where it is permanently stationed to conduct limited Earth-Sun observations.)
Present probes • trajectory from 11 February 2015 to 12 October 2025The
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) in a halo orbit around L1 to investigate of the outer layer of the Sun, making observations of solar wind and associated phenomena in the vicinity of L1, probing the interior structure of the Sun. • The
Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) in a
Lissajous orbit •
WIND (At since 2004) • The
Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), designed to image the sunlit Earth in 10 wavelengths (EPIC) and monitor total reflected radiation (NISTAR). Launched on 11 February 2015, began orbiting L1 on 8 June 2015 to study the
solar wind and its effects on Earth. DSCOVR is unofficially known as GORESAT, because it carries a camera always oriented to Earth and capturing full-frame photos of the planet similar to the
Blue Marble. This concept was proposed by then-Vice President of the United States
Al Gore in 1998 and was a centerpiece in his 2006 film
An Inconvenient Truth. •
Aditya-L1 was successfully launched on 2 September 2023 and entered the halo orbit around the lagrange point on 6 January 2024. It is a
Solar observation mission by
ISRO. It will study solar atmosphere,
solar magnetic storms, and their impact on the environment around the Earth. •
IMAP, launched in September 2025 •
SWFO-L1, launched in September 2025
Planned probes •
NEO Surveyor •
NEOMIR,
ESA's
planetary defense early warning and
NEO detection space telescope
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 • 2001 – 2010: NASA's
Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) observed the cosmic microwave background. It was moved to a heliocentric orbit to avoid posing a hazard to future missions. • 2003 – 2004: NASA's
WIND. The spacecraft then went to Earth orbit, before heading to the point, where it remains in service. • 2009 – 2013: The ESA
Herschel Space Observatory exhausted its supply of liquid helium and was moved from the Lagrangian point in June 2013. • 2009 – 2013: At the end of its mission ESA's
Planck spacecraft was put into a heliocentric orbit and
passivated to prevent it from endangering any future missions. • 2011 – 2012:
CNSA's
Chang'e 2. Chang'e 2 was then placed onto a heliocentric orbit that took it past the near-Earth asteroid
4179 Toutatis. • The
CNSA Chang'e 6 orbiter • 2013 – 2025: The ESA
Gaia mission’s thrusters moved the spacecraft away from L2 on 27 March 2025 and into a stable retirement orbit around the Sun that will minimise the chance that it comes within 10 million km Earth for at least the next century.
Present probes and
James Webb Space Telescope orbit around Sun-Earth • The joint Russian-German high-energy astrophysics observatory
Spektr-RG • The joint
NASA,
ESA and
CSA James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) • The ESA
Euclid mission
Planned probes • The NASA
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (WFIRST) • The ESA
PLATO mission, which will find and characterize rocky exoplanets. • The JAXA
LiteBIRD mission. • The ESA
Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics (ATHENA) • The ESA
ARIEL mission, which will observe the atmospheres of exoplanets. • The joint ESA-JAXA
Comet Interceptor • The NASA
Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR) which would replace the
Hubble Space Telescope.
Cancelled probes • The
ESA Eddington mission • The NASA
Terrestrial Planet Finder mission (may be placed in an Earth-trailing orbit instead)
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. • There are no known objects in this orbital location.
Sun–Earth L4 is the Sun–Earth Lagrange point located close to the Earth's orbit 60° ahead of Earth. • Asteroid is the first discovered
tadpole orbit companion to Earth, orbiting ; like Earth, its mean distance to the Sun is about one
astronomical unit. • Asteroid is the second Earth trojan, confirmed in November 2021, oscillating around in a tadpole orbit and expected to remain there for at least 4000 years, until destabilized by Venus. •
STEREO A (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory – Ahead) made its closest pass to in September 2009, on its orbit around the Sun, slightly faster than Earth. •
OSIRIS-REx passed near the L4 point and performed a survey for asteroids between 9 and 20 February 2017.
Sun–Earth L5 , or Earth-trailing orbit, is the Sun–Earth Lagrange point located close to the Earth's orbit 60° behind Earth. • Asteroid , in a
horseshoe companion orbit with Earth, is currently proximal to but at a high inclination. •
STEREO B (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory – Behind) made its closest pass to in October 2009, on its orbit around the Sun, slightly slower than Earth.
Planned •
Vigil (
ESA),
solar activity monitoring mission, collaborating with
NOAA's
SWFO-L1 ==Earth–Moon Lagrange points==