In a remarkable start to the year 2024, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) celebrated the successful launch of its maiden X-Ray satellite, ‘XPoSat.’ The satellite is dedicated to studying black holes and neutron stars, marking a significant milestone in India’s space exploration endeavors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, extending his congratulations to ISRO scientists, emphasized that the launch is a testament to India’s prowess in the space sector. In a tweet, he stated, “A great start to 2024 thanks to our scientists! This launch is wonderful news for the space sector and will enhance India’s prowess in this field. Best wishes to our scientists at @isro and the entire space fraternity in taking India to unprecedented heights.”
Home Minister Amit Shah joined in praising the accomplishment, expressing pride in India’s scientific might. He said, “Brightening up the cosmos in pursuit of knowledge on the very first day of 2024, you have proven yet again that your might is our pride. Congratulations to our @isro scientists on the historic launch of specialized astronomy observatory satellite XPoSat to study black holes and neutron stars in our galaxy.”
ISRO’s first space mission of the year saw the launch of the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The PSLV-C58 rocket, marking its 60th mission, successfully deployed XPoSat into Low Earth Orbit.
S Somanath, ISRO chief, applauded the achievement, stating, “The New Year has begun with the launch of the PSLV, and we will have an exciting time ahead. On January 1, 2024, another successful mission of PSLV has been accomplished.”
The primary payload of XPoSat was made by the Raman Research Institute, with the second payload crafted by the Astronomy Group of URSC (U R Rao Satellite Centre).
XPoSat holds significance as the first dedicated scientific satellite from ISRO designed for research in space-based polarization measurements of X-ray emission from celestial sources. The mission aims to measure X-ray polarization in the energy band of 8-30 keV from approximately 50 potential cosmic sources.
The success of the XPoSat mission reaffirms India’s growing prominence in space exploration and scientific research.
