ISRO plans to kick off 2024 by launching a dedicated satellite into space to investigate black holes

ISRO is gearing up to welcome the new year by launching its inaugural X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite, which aims to provide insights into celestial entities such as black holes. The satellite will be aboard a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket scheduled for liftoff on Monday. This launch follows the success of ISRO's Gaganyaan Test Vehicle D1 mission in October.

The PSLV-C58 rocket, embarking on its 60th mission, will carry the primary payload XPoSat, along with 10 other satellites destined for deployment in low Earth orbits. The 25-hour countdown commenced on Sunday, with liftoff scheduled for 9:10 am from the first launch pad at the spaceport, situated approximately 135 kms east of Chennai.

A Pioneer from ISRO

XPoSat marks ISRO's maiden dedicated satellite for conducting research in space-based polarization measurements of X-ray emissions from celestial sources. The satellite's configuration is adapted from the MIS-2 bus platform, drawing on the legacy of Indian Remote Sensing satellites for the design of its mainframe systems. XPoSat carries two essential payloads: POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) developed by Raman Research Institute in Bengaluru, and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) developed by the Space Astronomy Group of UR Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, as stated by ISRO.