AstroSat: A Decade of Discoveries
Background
- Launch Date: September 28, 2015, by PSLV-C30 (XL) from Sriharikota.
- Designed Life: 5 years → Still operational after 10 years.
- Significance: India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space astronomy observatory.
Key Achievements
- Enabled studies across the electromagnetic spectrum: UV, Visible, Low & High-energy X-rays.
- Discoveries range from:
- Black holes & neutron stars
- Observations of Proxima Centauri (nearest star)
- First-time detection of FUV photons from galaxies 3 billion light years away
Payloads (5 Major Instruments)
- 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
Collaborative Effort
- Led by ISRO, with contributions from:
- Inter-University Centre for Astronomy & Astrophysics (IUCAA)
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)
- Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA)
- Raman Research Institute (RRI)
- Partner institutions from Canada & the UK
Why It Matters?
- Showcases India’s capability in space-based astronomy.
- Provides simultaneous multi-wavelength observations — rare even globally.
- Strengthens India’s role in global astrophysics research.
