“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,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on microblogging platform X. Satellite director Brindaban Mahto said this is the first mission worldwide launched to study polarised x-ray sources and the second after a 2021 US mission for polarisation. “The new year has begun” – a beaming Isro chairman Somanath S said after the successful launch of the satellite on the PSLV, Isro’s workhorse launch vehicle.
“PSLV C-58 has placed the primary satellite XPoSat in the desired circular orbit of 650 km and 6-degree inclination,” Somanath said. PSLV’s fourth stage will be brought down to a lower orbit 350 kms away from Earth where the POEM (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module) will carry out experiments with nine onboard payloads, he said.
Space debris responsibility
“As a responsible space agency, we decided to bring the fourth stage to a lower orbit because life of the stage in the orbit is much less so that we don’t create debris in the process. That is why it has been brought down to 350 km,” Somanath said. Explaining the experiments to be undertaken by the POEM module, he said the Isro will conduct experiments with a fuel cell, which could be used in future in an Indian Space Station and other areas where power generation on board will be required.
Another payload is WESAT, or Women Engineered Satellite developed by Thiruvananthapuram-based LBS Institute of Technology for Women, which aims to measure solar irradiance and UV Index. “This is an excellent contribution from all the girl students who have built this spacecraft,” said Somanath.