Opinion Express View on ISRO’s new observatory: A light in space
It could help unravel some of the universe's deepest secrets and mysteries
On Monday, ISRO marked the new year by venturing into this relatively uncharted realm of astrophysics. It launched a rocket carrying XpoSat, the country's first space observatory to study the polarisation of cosmic X-rays. 
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Some of the most exciting features of the universe, like black holes and neutron stars, remain mysteries to humankind. What scientists know is that because of their immensely strong magnetic fields, some of these celestial bodies emit highly energetic X-ray light.
On Monday, ISRO marked the new year by venturing into this relatively uncharted realm of astrophysics. It launched a rocket carrying XpoSat, the country’s first space observatory to study the polarisation of cosmic X-rays. This mission could help reveal a hidden picture of the cosmos, potentially transforming the understanding of the nature of the universe itself. The observatory could help scientists scout for emissions from black holes, neutron stars and active galactic nuclei.
These cosmic rays are absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere. Scientists, therefore, need X-ray telescopes in space to understand them. XpoSat has two such payloads. It is the country’s third space-based observatory after the recently launched solar mission Aditya-L1 and AstroSat launched in 2015. The Indian observatory is the world’s second space mission to study the polarisation of cosmic X-rays, after NASA’s IXPE, launched in December 2021.
Generally, light oscillates in every direction. But in certain parts of the cosmos, strong magnetic fields drive particles at incredibly high speeds, creating highly organised or polarised light. There have been a handful of experiments on X-ray polarisation. Most of them were balloon observations and short-duration experiments by NASA and its collaborators. Since the 1970s, imaging studies and spectroscopy have given scientists a fair idea of the energy, time and location of celestial X-rays.
The introduction of polarimetry observations by IXPE marked the beginning of the endeavour to capture the degree and angle of light. It has provided early information on how radiation is produced in some of the most extreme environments in the universe. XpoSat operates in a frequency band different from its American predecessor. Experts believe that a combination of IXPE and XpoSat observations can help answer some of astrophysics’s longstanding questions. For example, they can help unravel the contours of black holes in binary stars — two stars gravitationally bound to each other.
2023 marked a significant shift in gears for India’s space programme. With the launch of Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-1, ISRO transitioned from an agency with capabilities in placing satellites in orbit to a planetary exploration agency. Later this year, India’s premier space research agency will combine with NASA to send a mission to the International Space Station, the permanent laboratory in space about 400 km above the earth’s surface. A test flight of the Gaganyaan, without astronauts, is also scheduled for this year. With every venture, ISRO has sent signals that it has the expertise and maturity to contribute to all aspects of planetary research. Many more great journeys await the agency.
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