Alexander Lewis 
Jan 01, 2024
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched its X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite, at 9:10 am from the inaugural launch pad in Sriharikota, to probe numerous celestial bodies such as black holes.
Employing the consistently dependable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) for its C58 mission, ISRO positioned the primary X-Ray Polarimeter satellite, XPoSat, into its intended 650 km Low Earth Orbit.
In an impressive spectacle that marked the end of a 25-hour countdown, a towering 44.4-meter rocket soared into the sky with resounding cheers from the crowd gathered at the site.
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The liftoff marked the commencement of the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (XPoSat) mission, designed to explore the polarisation of powerful X-ray sources in outer space. Meanwhile, the mission will take five years to conclude.
As per the Space Exploration Agency, it was the initial specialised scientific satellite within their portfolio designed to conduct research on polarisation measurements of X-ray emissions from celestial sources in space.
ISRO is also set to launch the advanced collaborative satellite with NASA, NISAR, in the initial months of 2024. With a cost of around $1.5 billion (approximately Rs. 12,500 crores), NISAR, short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar, is scheduled to be launched using India's GSLV rocket.
The information gathered by NISAR will be exceptionally beneficial for the examination of land ecosystems, solid earth deformation, polar and mountain cryosphere changes, sea ice variations, and coastal oceans at a regional to global level.
