ISRO kicked off the new year by launching its inaugural X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XpoSat), a space-based observatory designed to investigate X-ray polarization and its origins in celestial bodies such as black holes, neutron stars, and magnetars.

The PSLV-C58 rocket, carrying the main payload XPoSat and 10 additional satellites intended for deployment in low-earth orbits, took off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 9:10 am on Monday.

PSLV-C58 XPoSat Mission | ISRO launched X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) from the first launch pad, SDSC-SHAR, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

According to ISRO, the performances of the first, second, third and fourth stages of the mission are normal. pic.twitter.com/hO1AjJQakZ

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XpoSat marks the world’s second mission of its kind. In 2021, NASA introduced the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) for X-ray polarization measurements in the soft X-ray band. In contrast, XPoSat is designed to operate in the medium X-ray band.

The satellite is equipped with two payloads – POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing). According to ISRO, POLIX aims to observe approximately 40 bright astronomical sources of various categories, while XSPECT will analyze the electromagnetic spectrum produced by different forms of matter.

X-ray polarization stands out as a vital diagnostic tool for investigating the radiation mechanism and geometry of celestial sources. The information obtained from X-ray polarization measurements on objects such as black holes, neutron stars, and active galactic nuclei has the potential to substantially enhance the comprehension of their physics.

Constructed entirely by two Bengaluru-based institutions — ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Centre and Raman Research Institute — XPoSat was conceived in 2008, and the formal agreement with the space agency was finalized in 2015.

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Globally, only a few experiments have focused on X-ray polarization measurements, with some being balloon-based and short-duration initiatives conducted by NASA and its collaborators. While Indian astronomers using AstroSat have engaged in timing and broadband spectroscopy of X-ray sources, there has been a notable absence of polarization studies.

XPoSat is poised to be a groundbreaking development in the field since, on a global scale, studies in the X-ray frequency band have predominantly centered around timing, spectroscopy, and imaging. Seetha emphasized that the scarcity of such studies is primarily due to the challenges in developing sensitive instrumentation, making XPoSat a significant step forward for India in this regard.

Anjali Marar is associated with the Raman Research Institute in Bengaluru.

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