In a significant stride towards unraveling the mysteries of the universe, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch its 60th mission, PSLV-C58, today from Sriharikota’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh. The primary payload of this mission, the X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat), is designed to explore the polarisation of intense X-ray sources in space.
Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair expressed confidence in the PSLV’s reliability and cost-effectiveness, highlighting its success rate of over 98 percent. The launch is deemed crucial for scientific observations related to galaxies, black holes, and dying stars, shedding light on the origin of the universe. Additionally, the mission will carry various small satellites, including those from universities.
This launch follows the success of ISRO’s Gaganyaan Test Vehicle D1 mission in October, marking another achievement for the Indian space agency. The countdown for the PSLV-C58 launch began on Sunday, setting the stage for a groundbreaking start to the new year.
Mission Objectives:
The PSLV-C58 mission aims to study X-ray polarisation in the energy band of 8-30 keV from approximately 50 cosmic sources. The research will facilitate long-term spectral and temporal studies of cosmic X-rays, providing critical insights into the radiation mechanisms and geometry of celestial sources.
Benefits to the Global Astronomy Community:
With the global significance of space-based X-ray polarisation studies on the rise, India’s XPoSat mission is expected to contribute significantly to the field. The mission holds the potential to enhance the understanding of physics behind celestial objects such as black holes, active galactic nuclei, and neutron stars, benefiting the global astronomy community.
Launch Process and Payloads:
The 44.4-meter-tall PSLV rocket will deploy the primary satellite into a 650 km Low Earth Orbit, followed by adjustments to a lower altitude for the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) experiment. Notable payloads include the Radiation Shielding Experiment Module, Woman Engineered Satellite, BeliefSat, Green Impulse Transmitter, Launching Expeditions for Aspiring Technologies Technology Demonstrator, RUDRA 0.3HPGP, ARKA 200, Dust Experiment, and Si-based High Energy cell.
The XPoSat mission, designed by Raman Research Institute and XSPECT, is poised to contribute valuable data for the advancement of space-based research and foster collaboration within the astronomy community.
