On the first day of new year 2024, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday launched the XPoSAT or…
On the first day of new year 2024, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday launched the XPoSAT or X-ray Polarimeter Sat to study the black holes.
The PSLV-C58 mission blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 9:10 am, to mark the new beginning in India’s quest of space exploration.
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The 260-tonne rocket PSLV carried an advanced astronomy observatory to study black holes and neutron stars.
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Once placed successfully in the orbit, India will become only the second country after the US to have an observatory to study black holes.
Polarimetry involves measuring and analyzing the polarization of X-rays emitted from near black holes and neutron stars.
The observatory will allow scientists to have extra insights beyond the already available traditional imaging or spectroscopy methods.
The satelite is carrying two payloads- POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing).
According to ISRO, the satellite will measure polarisation of X-rays in the energy band 8-30keV emanating from about 50 potential cosmic sources through Thomson Scattering by POLIX payload.
The XPoSat satellite cost around Rs 250 crore and have a mission life of more than five years as compared to the two-year life span of the NASA IXPE, which cost around USD 188 million.
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