ISRO aims to launch its X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) in December. The satellite, which has been prepped for launch since August, will carry two payloads – the Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays (POLIX) and the X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing (XSPECT) instrument. Over a planned mission duration of five years, XPoSat will observe about 40 X-ray sources and gather data on variations over time. The POLIX instrument will measure the degree and angle of polarisation of X-rays from distant sources. This launch is part of ISRO’s exciting lineup after Chandrayaan 3 and Aditya L1.
ISRO aims to launch X-ray polarimeter satellite in December
In a public lecture by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), ISRO Chairman S Somanath announced that the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) is fully built and ready for launch, most likely in December. XPoSat will carry two payloads – POLIX and XSPECT – that will gather data on X-ray sources and measure the degree and angle of polarisation of X-rays. The satellite is expected to observe about 40 X-ray sources over a planned mission duration of five years.
Understanding Polarisation and XPoSat’s Purpose
This upcoming launch by ISRO is part of their exciting lineup, following the Chandrayaan 3 and Aditya L1 missions. XPoSat’s observations and measurements of polarised X-rays will contribute to our understanding of the universe’s most mysterious objects.
