Delhi: ISRO launches X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (ExpoSat) along with 10 other payloads, now black hole will be studied
New Delhi: ISRO has again taken a huge leap on the first day of the New Year. After the successful landing on the south pole of the Moon in 2023, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has given a big gift to the countrymen on the first day of the new year 2024. ISRO launched the X-ray Polarimeter Satellite (ExpoSat) along with 10 other payloads early on Monday morning. The 25-hour countdown for the launch of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-DL (PSLV-DL) carrying EXPOSAT and 10 other scientific payloads began at 8.10 am on Sunday and is progressing smoothly, ISRO officials said. At 9.10 am, the Indian rocket PSLV-DL variant codenamed PSLV-C58, 44.4 meters tall and weighing 260 tonnes, lifted off with EXPOSAT from the first launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Along with this, 10 more scientific payloads were placed on the PSLV orbital platform. About 21 minutes into its flight, the rocket will orbit the exosat at an altitude of about 650 km.
The rocket’s fourth stage will then be reprogrammed twice to lower the orbit to a 350 km circular orbit to maintain it in 3-axis stable mode for Orbital Platform (OP) experiments. The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) experiment will be executed carrying 10 identified payloads supplied by ISRO and the Indian National Space Exploration and Authorization Center (IN-SPACE), the Indian space agency said. . As per its general configuration, PSLV is a four-stage/engine expendable rocket, powered by solid and liquid fuels. Six booster motors are optionally mounted on the first stage to provide high thrust during initial flight moments.ISRO has five types of PSLV rockets – Standard, Core Alone, XL, DL and QL. The main difference between them is the use of strap-on boosters, which in turn largely depends on the weight of the orbiting satellites.
