Isro to launch XPoSat on January 1: All you need to know about India's first mission to study black holes

NEW DELHI: Isro is all set to welcome the new year with new launches. Their PSLV-C58 mission is set to launch the XPoSat Satellite into an eastward low inclination orbit at 9:10 IST on Monday, marking the commencement of the new calendar year 2024 at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

XPoSat holds the distinction of being Isro's inaugural dedicated scientific satellite designed for conducting research in space-based polarization measurements of X-ray emissions originating from celestial sources.

XPoSat overview:
XPoSat, also known as X-ray Polarimeter Satellite, marks Isro's maiden dedicated scientific satellite designed for research in space-based polarization measurements of X-ray emissions from celestial sources. The satellite's configuration is adapted from the IMS-2 bus platform, with the mainframe systems drawing from the heritage of IRS satellites.

XPoSat carries two primary payloads: POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing). POLIX is developed by the Raman Research Institute, while XSPECT is a creation of the Space Astronomy Group of URSC.

Following the injection of XPoSat, the PS4 stage will undergo two re-starts to adjust the orbit into a 350 km circular orbit. This configuration is crucial for maintaining a 3-axis stabilized mode for Orbital Platform (OP) experiments. The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) experiment will be carried out to fulfill the objectives of 10 identified payloads provided by Isro and IN-SPACe.


Mission objectives
POLIX payload:
- Measure polarization of X-rays in the energy band 8-30keV originating from approximately 50 potential cosmic sources.
- Employ Thomson Scattering to achieve polarization measurements.

XSPECT Payload:
-Conduct long-term spectral and temporal studies of cosmic X-ray sources in the energy band 0.8-15keV.
-Focus on analysing X-ray emissions from cosmic sources through spectroscopic measurements.

Common Objectives:
- Simultaneous polarimetry and spectroscopic assessments of X-ray emissions from cosmic sources.
- Cover a shared energy band with POLIX and XSPECT payloads.