XSPECT payload on India's new XPoSat satellite captures first light from well-known supernova remnant

The X-ray SPECtroscopy and Timing (XSPECT) payload on the Indian Space Research Organization's XPoSat satellite has captured its first light from a well-known supernova remnant, Cassiopeia A (Cas A).

Launched on January 1, 2024, XPoSat is India's first dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions. It carries two payloads - POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing) to unravel the mysteries surrounding cosmic X-ray sources.

XSPECT is designed to provide fast timing and good spectroscopic resolution in soft X-rays. According to the mission update shared by ISRO, during XSPECT's performance verification phase, the instrument was directed towards Cassiopeia A - the remnant of a massive star that exploded in a supernova 340 years ago.

The observation, which commenced on January 5, 2024, captured CAS A's emission lines corresponding to elements such as Magnesium, Silicon, Sulphur, Argon, Calcium, and Iron.

XPoSat Mission:XSPECT payload aces its performance check with an observation of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant. https://t.co/2W2uP1GZmTXSPECT's spectral and temporal studies promise to unveil the universe's secrets in soft X-rays. XSPECT is developed by U R Rao Satellite… pic.twitter.com/rYGQqjk3kB

— ISRO (@isro) January 11, 2024

During the planned lifetime of the mission of about 5 years, XSPECT would observe several types of sources viz X-ray pulsars, blackhole binaries, low-magnetic field neutron star (NS) in LMXBs, AGNs and Magnetars.