Correct Answer : Option (B) - January 1, 2024

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to kick off the year 2024 with the launch of XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) on Monday (January 1, 2024). It is India's first XPoSat which aims to investigate the polarization of intense X-Ray sources and study the enigmatic world of black holes.

“XPoSat is India’s first dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions," the space agency said. The satellite will be launched on board the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).


XPoSat Mission: Date, time and venue

The ISRO will launch PSLV-C58/EXPOSAT Mission at 09:10 hrs IST on Monday, January 1, 2024. The launch is planned from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.


All about XPoSat mission :

* ISRO's PSLV-C58 Mission will launch the XPOSAT Satellite into an eastward low inclination orbit. "After injection of XPOSAT, the PS4 stage will be re-started twice to reduce the orbit into 350 km circular orbit to maintain in 3-axis stabilized mode for Orbital Platform (OP) experiments," the space agency said.

* "The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) experiment will be executed meeting the objective of 10 identified payloads, supplied by ISRO and IN-SPACe," the ISRO said.

* The spacecraft of the XPoSat will carry two scientific payloads in a low earth orbit.

* "The primary payload POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) will measure the polarimetry parameters (degree and angle of polarization) in medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons of astronomical origin. The XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload will give spectroscopic information in the energy range of 0.8-15 keV," ISRO said.

According to the ISRO, the objective of the mission are :

1. To measure polarisation of X-rays in the energy band 8-30keV emanating from about 50 potential cosmic sources through Thomson Scattering by POLIX payload.

2. To carry out long term spectral and temporal studies of cosmic X-ray sources in the energy band 0.8-15keV by XSPECT payload.

3. To carry out polarisation and spectroscopic measurements of X-ray emissions from cosmic sources by POLIX and XSPECT payloads respectively in the common energy band.

4. To study the distribution of magnetic field, geometric anisotropies, alignment with respect to line of sight, nature of accelerator in galactic cosmic X-Ray sources by measuring degree of polarization and its angle.

5. Structure and geometry of magnetic field of neutron stars, mechanism of X-Ray beaming and its relation with luminosity and mass of accretion rate of powered pulsars.

6. Understanding of galactic black hole binary sources.

7. To study and confirm about production of X-Rays is either from polar cap of neutron star or outer cap of pulsar magnetosphere.

8. To distinguish the synchrotron mechanism as dominant over thermal emission in Supernova remnants..


Source : Mint