News Excerpt:

XPoSat will be launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.

About the XPoSat:

• It aims to investigate the polarisation of intense X-ray sources in the energy band of 8-30 keV.

• It is India’s First dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions. 

• According to ISRO, the forthcoming XPoSat mission will bring significant value by focusing on imaging, time-domain investigations, and spectroscopy.
• The mission life is expected to be approximately five years.
• It is designated for observation from a Low Earth Orbit (non-sun synchronous orbit of ~650 km altitude, low inclination of approximately six degrees), carrying two scientific payloads.

• With these two payloads, the XPoSat mission is capable of simultaneous studies of temporal, spectral, and polarisation features of the bright X-ray sources.
• The payloads onboard XPoSat will observe the X-ray sources during the spacecraft’s transit through the Earth’s shadow, i.e., during the eclipse period.
• The primary payload of XPoSat, POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays), is designed to measure polarimetry parameters - specifically the degree and angle of polarisation - in the medium X-ray energy range of 8-30 keV photons originating from astronomical sources. 
• The POLIX payload was developed by the Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, with support from various ISRO centres.
• The secondary payload is the XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) payload, which will provide spectroscopic information within the energy range of 0.8-15 keV. 
• The XSPECT payload was developed by the U.R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), ISRO.

The objective of the satellite:

• The mission objectives include the measurement of X-ray polarization in the energy band of 8-30 keV emanated from X-ray sources
• Long-term spectral and temporal studies of cosmic X-ray sources in the energy band of 0.8-15 keV.
• The mission life is expected to be 5 years. 
• The payloads onboard XPoSat will observe the X-ray sources during its transit through the Earth’s shadow, i.e., during the eclipse period.

The astronomy community of India expressed immense scientific prospects in the XPoSat mission. Eager to analyze XPoSat data, they emphasized the importance of engaging the student community. Furthermore, the community highlighted the significance of building expertise in X-ray polarimetry in India, with the XPoSat mission serving as an appropriate starting point.