India

XPoSAT: ISRO Launches Mission To Study Black Holes

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) began New Year with a new mission to solve what is among the oldest mysteries of the universe – black holes. At 9.10 am, it launched the XPoSAT or X-ray Polarimeter Satellite from Sriharikota.

 

At 9.32 am, ISRO announced that the lift-off of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) was normal and XPoSAT was launched successfully. “PSLV-C58 vehicle placed the satellite precisely into the intended orbit of 650 km with 6-degree inclination. The POEM-3 is being scripted,” ISRO posted in X. Soon after, ISRO chief S Somanath announced the successful launch.

Astrophysicist Dipankar Bhattacharya told NDTV that today’s launch was a “textbook launch”. “The expected orbit has been achieved. Now all the expected science is hopefully going to work as planned,” he said.

The XPoSAT mission launch also marked the 60th flight of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The 260-tonne rocket carries an advanced astronomy observatory meant to study black holes and neutron stars. With this, India is set to become only the second country after the US to have an ‘observatory’ to study black holes.

How it will work?

  • Using X-ray photons and their polarisation, XPoSAT will help study the radiation from near black holes and neutron stars. It carries two payloads — POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing).
  • The satellite will measure the polarisation of X-rays in the energy band 8-30keV emanating from about 50 potential cosmic sources through Thomson Scattering by POLIX payload.
  • It will carry out long-term spectral and temporal studies of cosmic X-ray sources. It will also carry out polarisation and spectroscopic measurements of X-ray emissions from cosmic sources through POLIX and XSPECT payloads.
  • Fact file
  • When stars run out of fuel and ‘die’, they collapse under their own gravity and leave behind black holes or neutron stars. Black holes have the highest gravitational force in the universe, and neutron stars have the highest densities. Gathering more information on this, the mission will help unravel the mysteries of ultra-extreme environments in space.
  • The XPoSat satellite cost around Rs 250 crore (approximately $30 million). The NASA IXPE — which has been on a similar mission since 2021 — cost $188 million. The Indian satellite is expected to last more than five years, compared to the two-year life span of the NASA IXPE.
  • Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair has said the PSLV rocket system has evolved as the most reliable and cost-effective one in the global scenario. “When we look back in history, we started this journey in 1993 and since then, most of the missions have been successfully completed,” he told news agency ANI.
OB Bureau

Recent Posts

MoU For Naphtha Project With IOCL & Ground Breaking Of Yarn Project In Jan During Utkarsh Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will sign an MoU with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) for…

11 minutes ago

Did You Know The Driver Of LPG Tanker That Caused Fire On Jaipur Highway Is Alive? Here’s How

Jaipur: Much to everyone’s surprise, the driver of the tanker carrying Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG),…

28 minutes ago

Family Blames Ragging For Girl Student’s Death In Odisha’s Bhawanipatna

Bhawanipatna: Family members of a Plus II first-year girl student, who was found hanging in…

40 minutes ago

Odisha CM Mohan Majhi Confesses Falling Prey To Chit Fund Scam Twice

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Tuesday claimed that he was a victim of chit…

1 hour ago

Planning To Buy Used EV From Friend Or Private User? Will You Be Taxed With 18% GST? Explained

New Delhi: Will used electric vehicles be expensive now? Well, certainly so as the Goods…

2 hours ago

Odisha CM Unveils 10-Foot Bronze Statue Of Atal Bihari Vajpayee In Cuttack City

Cuttack: Ahead of his 100th birth anniversary, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday unveiled…

2 hours ago

This website uses cookies.