X-ray Polarimeter Satellite : Launched
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched its first X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XpoSat) to study X-ray polarisation and its cosmic sources, like Black holes, Neutron stars, and Magnetars.
- The mission is propelled by the PSLV-C58 rocket in Low Earth Orbit.
- X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XpoSat) is designed to study X-ray polarization in the medium X-ray band, offering insights into celestial sources’ radiation mechanisms and geometry.
- This study is crucial for understanding the physics behind these celestial bodies.
- The satellite carries two main payloads, POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing).
- POLIX will observe about 40 bright astronomical sources, while XSPECT will study the electromagnetic spectrum generated by different matter.
- Entirely built by two Bengaluru-based institutes—ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Centre and Raman Research Institute—XPoSat’s development began in 2008, with a formal agreement signed with ISRO in 2015.
- XPoSat is only the world’s second mission dedicated to X-ray polarization in the medium X-ray band. NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), launched in 2021, was the first such mission by a space agency.
- XPoSat will be India’s third space-based observatory, following the recently launched solar mission Aditya-L1 and AstroSat, which was launched in 2015. Its launch is seen as a significant stride for Indian astronomy and space research.
