Why in the News?
AstroSat, India’s first multi-wavelength space observatory has completed 10 years on September 28, 2025, boosting India’s role in multi-messenger astronomy.
What is Multi-Messenger Astronomy?
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What is AstroSat?
- Overview: India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory, launched on September 28, 2015 by PSLV-C30 from Sriharikota.
- Objective: To study celestial sources simultaneously in X-ray, ultraviolet (UV), and optical bands, unlike most single-band missions.
- Management: Controlled by the Mission Operations Complex (MOX), ISTRAC, Bengaluru.
- Mission Life: Designed for 5 years but operational even after 10 years.
- Payloads:
- UVIT (Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope).
- LAXPC (Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter).
- CZTI (Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride Imager).
- SXT (Soft X-ray Telescope).
- SSM (Scanning Sky Monitor).
Its Accomplishments:
- Extended Life: Surpassed design life; still generating data.
- Black Hole Studies: Captured 500+ black hole births, advancing high-energy astrophysics.
- Galaxy Detection: Tracked extreme UV light from a galaxy 9.3 billion light-years away, aiding early universe studies.
- Gamma-Ray Bursts: 500+ bursts studied by CZTI.
- Discoveries: Identified rare UV-bright Milky Way stars, thousands of times brighter than the Sun.
| [UPSC 2016] With reference to ‘Astrosat’,’ the astronomical observatory launched by India, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. Other than USA and Russia, India is the only country to have launched a similar observatory into space. 2. Astrosat is a 2000 kg satellite placed in an orbit at 1650 km above the surface of the Earth. Select the correct answer using the code given below. (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2* |
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