SRIHARIKOTA (ANDHRA PRADESH), Jan 1: ISRO achieved a milestone on Monday by successfully launching its inaugural X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite, opening up new avenues for gaining insights into celestial phenomena such as black holes.
Executing its C58 mission with precision, ISRO’s dependable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) propelled the primary X-Ray Polarimeter satellite, XPoSat, into a 650 Km Low Earth Orbit as planned. The liftoff occurred at the scheduled time of 9:10 am from the first launch pad at the spaceport, located approximately 135 km east of Chennai, drawing thunderous applause from a large audience of spectators who had gathered for the event.
The X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) has a specific objective to study the polarization of intense X-ray sources in space. ISRO highlights that it marks the agency’s first dedicated scientific satellite designed to conduct research in space-based polarization measurements of X-ray emissions from celestial sources.
X-Ray polarization serves as a vital diagnostic tool, providing valuable insights into the radiation mechanisms and geometry of celestial entities. The primary payload of XPoSat includes POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-Rays), designed for measuring polarimetry parameters by Raman Research Institute, and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing), developed by the U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru. The mission’s expected lifespan is approximately five years.
