The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated a countdown for the PSLV-C58/XPoSat rocket launch, scheduled for New Year’s Day 2024 at 9:10 am IST. The countdown, beginning on December 31, 2023, at 8:10 am, is not for celebratory purposes but for the launch of India’s XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite). This marks the country’s first dedicated polarimetry mission aimed at studying various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions.
The launch will take place from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) using a 44-meter tall PSLV rocket. XPoSat, equipped with two scientific payloads, will be placed in a low Earth orbit. The primary payload, POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays), will measure polarimetry parameters (degree and angle of polarization) in the medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons originating from astronomical sources. The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload will provide spectroscopic information in the energy range of 0.8-15 keV.
XPoSat is designed to study celestial objects such as black holes, neutron stars, and other energetic events by analyzing emissions from these sources. The satellite will focus on understanding complex events and challenges related to these emissions, offering valuable insights into phenomena like black holes consuming material from neighboring stars and emitting X-ray radiation.
Dr. S Somanath, Chairman of ISRO, explained that measuring the polarization nature of X-ray emission allows scientists to quantify the material ejection from celestial objects. The mission, expected to last five years, aims to advance our understanding of intricate astronomical events and contribute to the field of astrophysics.
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