What is the primary payload of India's XPoSat mission, and what is its main scientific function?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Solution: The correct answer is POLIX – to measure polarization in medium energy X-rays.
Explanation:
☛ India's XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) was launched by ISRO on 1 January 2024 aboard the PSLV-C58 rocket.
☛ Its primary payload is POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays), developed by the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in collaboration with ISRO.
☛ The main objective of POLIX is to measure the degree and angle of polarization in the medium energy X-ray band (8–30 keV) emitted by astronomical sources.
☛ India is only the second country in the world (after the USA's NASA IXPE mission) to launch a dedicated polarimetry space observatory.
Extra Exam-Relevant Facts:
☛ XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing): The secondary scientific payload on XPoSat, designed by the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), measures spectral and timing characteristics in the soft X-ray band (0.8–15 keV).
☛ Target Celestial Sources: XPoSat primarily studies extreme cosmic objects like neutron stars, pulsars, black hole X-ray binaries, and active galactic nuclei.
☛ Operational Orbit: The satellite was placed in a circular Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at an altitude of approximately 650 km with an inclination of about 6 degrees.
☛ Mission Life: The designated operational life of the XPoSat mission is approximately 5 years.
Important One-Liners for Upcoming Exams:
☛ Which NASA mission was the world's first dedicated satellite for X-ray polarimetry launched in 2021? → IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer)
☛ Which launch vehicle was used by ISRO to launch the XPoSat satellite? → PSLV-C58
☛ Which research institution primarily developed the POLIX instrument? → Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru
☛ In what energy range does the POLIX payload operate? → 8 to 30 keV
☛ What was India's first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory launched in 2015? → AstroSat