India To Launch Its First X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite, All About ISRO's XPoSat Here

India is gearing up to launch its inaugural X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat), as announced by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The mission is poised to delve into the polarisation of intense X-ray sources, adding a valuable dimension to space-based X-ray astronomy in the country as reported by The Hindu.

While India has established space-based X-ray astronomy with a focus on imaging, time-domain studies, and spectroscopy, the XPoSat mission is anticipated to bring significant value by introducing a novel dimension to X-ray astronomy.

The spacecraft is designed for observation from a Low Earth Orbit, carrying two scientific payloads to conduct simultaneous studies of temporal, spectral, and polarisation features of bright X-ray sources.

The mission objectives encompass measuring X-ray polarisation in the energy band of 8-30 keV emitted from X-ray sources and conducting long-term spectral and temporal studies of cosmic X-ray sources in the energy band of 0.8-15 keV.

The mission's anticipated lifespan is approximately five years, with the payloads observing X-ray sources during the spacecraft's transit through Earth's shadow, specifically during the eclipse period.

The primary payload, POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays), developed by the Raman Research Institute in Bengaluru with support from various ISRO centers, is designed to measure polarimetry parameters in the medium X-ray energy range.

The secondary payload, XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing), developed by the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) at ISRO, will provide spectroscopic information within the energy range of 0.8-15 keV.

The XPoSat is scheduled to be launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.