ISRO to Launch India’s First X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite ‘XPoSat’ on January 1

New Delhi: Marking a monumental achievement in space exploration, India will usher in the New Year with the roaring launch of its historic XPoSat mission. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will propel the country’s first X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) into orbit aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on January 1, 2024, at 9:10 AM.

XPoSat will embark on a groundbreaking scientific quest to unveil the mysteries of the universe’s most intense X-ray sources by studying their elusive polarization. This critical data will propel India to the forefront of space-based polarimetry, placing it alongside pioneers like NASA’s 2021 IXPE mission.

The ambitious mission targets the 50 brightest cosmic beacons, including pulsars, black hole X-ray binaries, active galactic nuclei, neutron stars, and supernova remnants. XPoSat will spend at least five years soaring in a low Earth orbit, meticulously dissecting these celestial titans.

POLIX, the mission’s main instrument, will delve into the medium X-ray spectrum (8-30 keV), measuring the degree and angle of polarization. Its partner, XSPECT, will complement these findings by analyzing the 0.8-15 keV range, providing crucial spectroscopic details.

Developed by the Raman Research Institute and U R Rao Satellite Centre, these instruments promise to revolutionize our understanding of celestial physics. By deciphering the polarization of X-rays, scientists can unlock secrets about the structure and emission mechanisms of these distant giants, potentially cracking the code of current theoretical models.