AstroSat – India’s First Space Observatory

Source:  TH

Context: AstroSat, India’s first multi-wavelength space observatory, has completed 10 years in orbit since its launch on 28 September 2015 by PSLV-C30.

About AstroSat – India’s First Space Observatory:

• What it is?

• • India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space astronomy observatory, capable of observing the universe in UV, visible, soft X-ray, and hard X-ray bands simultaneously.
  • A collaborative project of ISRO and premier Indian research institutes with international partners (Canada, UK).

• Launched in:

• • Date: 28 September 2015.
  • Launch Vehicle: PSLV-C30 (XL configuration).
  • Launch Site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

• Aim:

• • To enable simultaneous multi-band observations of celestial phenomena.
  • To provide Indian astronomers with space-based capabilities, reducing dependence on foreign observatories.
  • To contribute to global astronomy research through open access to scientists worldwide.

• Features:

• • Payloads (5):
    • Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT)
    • Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC)
    • Cadmium–Zinc–Telluride Imager (CZTI)
    • Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT)
    • Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM)
  • Discoveries & Contributions:
    • Solved a puzzle about a red giant star’s unusual brightness.
    • Detected far-UV photons from galaxies ~9 billion light years away.
    • Showed extended emission of the Butterfly Nebula.
    • Discovered fast-spinning black holes and studied X-ray binaries.
    • Conducted X-ray polarization studies and captured galaxy mergers.

• Significance:

• • Scientific Breakthroughs: Provided India with a world-class astronomy platform, contributing to black hole, neutron star, and galaxy studies.
  • Capacity Building: Nurtured new generation of Indian astronomers, with half the users being students/researchers from India.