X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat)
The ISRO has announced a plan to launch its first X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat).
This satellite to investigate the polarisation of intense X-ray sources.
The ISRO said that while space-based X-ray astronomy had been established in India focusing on imaging, time-domain studies, and spectroscopy, the XPoSat mission marked a major value addition.
This research, supplementing traditional time and frequency domain studies.
By XPoSat ISRO Introduced a novel dimension to X-ray astronomy, generating anticipation and excitement within the scientific community.
The satellite will be launched by the PSLV from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The XPoSat is designed for observation from a low earth orbit (non-sun synchronous orbit of 650-km altitude, low inclination of approximately six degrees) and will carry two scientific payloads.
Mission has two payloads, and the mission is capable of simultaneous studies of temporal, spectral, and polarisation features of the bright X-ray sources.
POLIX - XSPECT
The primary payload, POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays), is designed to measure polarimetry parameters, specifically the degree and angle of polarisation, in the medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons originating from astronomical sources.
The payload was developed by the Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru, with support from ISRO centres.
The secondary payload is the XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload, which will provide spectroscopic information within the energy range of 0.8-15 keV.
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