An L2 orbit is an elliptical orbit about the second Lagrange point. Mathematically speaking it is one of the five solutions to the so-called three-body problem in which three bodies will move as a stable configuration. The solutions were found by the brilliant Italian-French mathematician Joseph-Louis Lagrange (1736-1813).

Simply put, there are five special points in space in the vicinity of two objects orbiting around one another where a third, smaller mass can remain nearly 'parked' in orbit. Here it will keep the same distance from the two larger objects.

A physicist would, in technical terms, say that the Lagrangian points mark the positions where the gravitational pull of the two large masses precisely equals the centripetal force required to rotate with them.

In essence this means that in L2 the gravitation from the Sun and the Earth can keep a spacecraft rotating around the Sun in synchronisation with the Earth. This makes it a lot easier to, amongst other things, maintain communication with the spacecraft.

There are five Lagrange points in the Earth-Sun system: three in line with the Earth and the Sun and two points (L4 and L5) at the vertices of equilateral triangles where the Earth and Sun are at the other vertices.

Objects found orbiting around L4 and L5 points in any system with two large masses are called Trojans after the three large asteroids Agamemnon, Achilles and Hector that orbit in the Jupiter-Sun L4 and L5 points. (According to Homer's 'Iliad', Hector was the Trojan champion slain by Achilles during King Agamemnon's siege of Troy).

Introduction