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Source: The post is based on the article “X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) Mission: ISRO is set to launch it” published in “The Hindu” on 1st December 2023
Why in the News?
The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) has announced a plan to launch its first X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) Mission.
What is XPoSat Mission?
| Specifications | Details |
| To be launched by | ISRO |
| Full Form | X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) |
| Objectives | 1)To measure X-ray polarization from X-ray sources. 2)To conduct long-term studies of the spectral and temporal characteristics of cosmic X-ray sources. 3)It will supplement the traditional time and frequency domain studies. |
| Launch Vehicle | Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle(PSLV) |
| Duration of Mission | Five Years |
| To be placed in | Low Earth Orbit |
| Payloads | 1) POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays): It will measure the polarimetry parameters (degree and angle of polarization) in medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons of astronomical origin. 2) It is being developed by Raman Research Institute(RRI),Bangalore in collaboration with U R Rao Satellite Centre(URSC). |
| 1) XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing): It will give spectroscopic information (on how light is absorbed and emitted by objects). It would observe several types of sources such as X-ray pulsars, blackhole binaries, low-magnetic field neutron star etc. 2) It was developed by the U.R.Rao Satellite Centre,ISRO. | |
| Significance | 1)It is India’s first and the world’s second polarimetry mission. 2)The other such major mission is NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) that was launched in 2021. |
UPSC Syllabus: Science and Technology
