Isro Unveils India's First Dedicated Polarimetry Mission By CIOTechOutlook Team

Isro Unveils India's First Dedicated Polarimetry Mission

CIOTechOutlook Team | Tuesday, 02 January 2024, 02:38 IST

The Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) successfully launched an X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) into an orbit 650 kilometers above Earth, kicking off a mission to explore astronomical x-ray sources and blackholes.

"A great start to 2024 thanks to our scientists! This launch is wonderful news for the space sector and will enhance India's prowess in this field. Best wishes to our scientists at Isro and the entire space fraternity in taking India to unprecedented heights," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on microblogging platform X.

Satellite director Brindaban Mahto said this is the first mission worldwide launched to study polarised x-ray sources and the second mission after a 2021 US mission for polarisation, as per economic times.

"The new year has begun" – a beaming Isro chairman Somanath S said after the successful launch of the satellite on the PSLV, Isro’s workhorse launch vehicle.

"PSLV C-58 has placed the primary satellite XPoSat in the desired circular orbit of 650 km and 6-degree inclination," Somanath said.

According to him, the fourth stage of the PSLV will be lowered down to a lower orbit 350 kilometers away from Earth, where the POEM (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module) will conduct tests with nine onboard payloads.

"As a responsible space agency, we decided to bring the fourth stage to a lower orbit because life of the stage in the orbit is much less so that we don't create debris in the process. That is why it has been brought down to 350 km," Somanath said.

He explained that the POEM module will conduct experiments with a fuel cell, which might be employed in the future in an Indian Space Station and other regions where on-board power generation is required.