SRIHARIKOTA (ANDHRA PRADESH), Jan 1: With the successful launch of its first X-Ray Polarimeter satellite on Monday, ISRO will be able to learn more about astronomical objects such as black holes. Launched at the scheduled time of 9.10 am from the first launch pad here, ISRO’s always dependable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) successfully completed the C58 mission, putting the primary X-Ray Polarimeter satellite XPoSat into a 650 km Low Earth Orbit as planned. This spaceport is located approximately 135 km east of Chennai. As the 25-hour countdown came to an end, the 44.4-meter-tall rocket lifted off majestically to thunderous applause from spectators who had gathered here in large numbers.The goal of the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) is to study how polarised intense X-ray sources are in space. It is the first specialised scientific satellite from ISRO to conduct studies on space-based polarisation measurements of X-ray emission from celestial sources, according to the space agency. When analysing the radiation mechanism and geometry of celestial sources, X-ray polarisation is an essential diagnostic tool. POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-Rays), developed by the Raman Research Institute to measure polarimetry parameters, and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing), constructed by the U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru, are the main payloads of XPoSat. The average missionary stays for five years.
