India has successfully launched ‘XPoSat,’ an advanced observatory dedicated to investigating the universe of neutron stars and black holes.
XPoSat, according to Isro Chairman S Somanath, is a special mission that will assess India’s proficiency in X-ray polarimetry using domestically produced equipment. “On January 1, 2024, PSLV accomplished another mission that was successful. PSLV-C58 launched XPoSat into the intended 650 km orbit with a six-degree inclination. “We anticipate a thrilling year ahead”, Somanath remarked following the launch. Isro’s reliable launch vehicle, PSLV-C58, took out from Sriharikota’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Monday at 9.10 a.m.
Only the second polarimetry mission worldwide, XPoSat is the first from India. In 2021, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) initially launched the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission from Kennedy Space Centre on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The collaborative project with the Italian Space Agency, IXPE, was designed to measure the polarization of X-rays from some of the “most extreme and mysterious objects in the universe”, including supernova remnants, supermassive black holes, and several other high-energy phenomena.
During the course of its five-year mission, XPoSat will study the polarisation of powerful X-ray sources, according to experts from ISRO. Although India already has a well-established space programme for X-ray astronomy, the main goals of this mission are spectroscopy, imaging, and time-domain investigations.
Astronomers can determine details about celestial objects, such as far-off galaxies or comets, by using the potent instrument of polarimetry. The most common method for tracking these emissions is to use a spectroscope to analyse their chemical composition and measure the distance they travel in. XPoSat will use two payloads to conduct its research from a low Earth orbit, which is a non-Sun synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 650 km and a low inclination of roughly six degrees.
The main payload is called POLIX, or Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays. Its purpose is to detect the degree and angle of polarisation in the medium x-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons that come from celestial sources.
#ISRO lights up the spirits of 140 crore Indians on the first day of 2024!
Kudos to @isro for the flawless launch of PSLV-C58/ XPoSat Mission. It’s a proud moment for #NewIndia.#XPoSat pic.twitter.com/oDsqQEfaUg
— MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) January 1, 2024
