SRIHARIKOTA: The year 2024 started with a bang for Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as it successfully launched XPoSat, which is India’s first dedicated scientific satellite to study celestial objects like black holes.
The satellite carries two payloads POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) developed by Raman Research Institute and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) developed by Space Astronomy Group of URSC. With XPoSat in orbit, India became the second country after the United States to have a satellite to study X-ray polarisation. NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) launched in 2021 was the first such satellite.
The satellite was launched on ISRO’s workhorse PSLV rocket. The 44.4-metre tall rocket lifted off majestically from the first launch pad at Sriharikota. According to ISRO, it is the first dedicated scientific satellite from the space agency to carry out research in space-based polarisation measurements of X-ray emission from celestial sources.
Soon after the successful launch, ISRO Chairman S Somanath said, “Happy new year to all of you. So on January 1, 2024, yet another successful mission of PSLV was accomplished. PSLV-C58 has placed the primary satellite XPoSat in the desired orbit. The X-Ray polarisation serves as a crucial diagnostic tool for examining the radiation mechanism and geometry of celestial sources,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the press conference, Somanath said 2024 is set to be a year of Gaganyaan and elaborated on different launches the space agency is planning. “We are getting ready for at least 12-14 missions this year,” he said. 2024 is going to be a year for Gaganyaan readiness. The beginning of the Gaganyaan mission started with the TV-D1 mission or the abort mission conducted in October last year.
“We have four in the series. At least two more we must do in 2024, so that is our target. By then, we will have three abort mission demonstrations. Then we must do at least one unmanned mission. Our target is to do two unmanned missions this year. That is our target and let us see with preparedness of various hardwares etc...,” ISRO chairman said and added a helicopter-based drop test would be done to test the parachute systems for the unmanned mission.
“ISRO also has the launch pad abort tests and hundreds of such valuation tests including environmental control support system tests, the crew module related tests, and simulation tests. So it is going to be a Gaganyaan year”, he said.
On the other missions lined up for the national space agency in 2024, he said, “We are going to have launches of GSLV for NISAR this year itself. We are going to have the first flight of GSLV with INSAT-3DS which is now going to happen soon. (Launch) Vehicle is almost ready.”
Year of Gaganyaan
ISRO Chairman S Somanath said 2024 is set to be a year of Gaganyaan. Addressing newspersons on Monday, he elaborated on different launches the space agency is planning. “We are getting ready for at least 12-14 missions this year,” he said