ISRO successfully re-enters Poem 3 mission into Earth’s atmosphere

Recently, ISRO’s indigenous POEM 3 (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3) mission has completed the Zero Orbital Debris (Zero Space Debris) mission.

This unique and affordable space platform was developed using the PS4 stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV C-58) rocket. This feat was achieved on March 21 when POEM-3 re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, completing the mission.

Poem 3 mission left no debris in space

• According to ISRO, the PSLV C-58 Expose mission has not left any debris in space. Until re-entry,POEM-3 was tracked by ground stations of the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC).
• The Multi-Object Tracking Radar (MOTR) in Sriharikota also tracked the PS4 phase till the morning of 21 March.

A total of nine experimental payloads in POEM-3 for scientific experiments

• According to ISRO, after completing the primary mission of placing all the satellites in their desired orbits, the terminal stage of PSLV was changed to triaxially stable platform POEM-3.
• A total of nine experimental payloads were installed inPOEM-3 to conduct scientific experiments.
• All payloads of POEM-3 met the objectives. Through POEM-3, ISRO has opened new avenues for academicians, startups to experiment with its new payloads.
• The POEM-3 platform was equipped with power generation and telecommand and telemetry capabilities.
• Earlier, a similar successful experiment was conducted using POEM-2 in the PSLV-C55 mission in April 2023.

About POEM (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module)

• In missions from POEM-1 to POEM-3, it launched a total of 21 payloads from various institutions and industries.
• POEM is an experimental mission of ISRO to conduct in-orbit scientific experiments using the PS4 stage as an orbital platform. PSLV is a four stage rocket. Its first three stages fall into the sea after being used and the last stage (PS4) becomes waste/junk in space after launching the satellite into orbit. ISRO’s POEM mission will also help in tackling the problem of space debris.

PSLV-C58 Mission

PSLV-C58 was launched by ISRO on IST on January 01, 2024 carrying the XPOSAT satellite into a low inclination eastward orbit.

XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite)

• It is ISRO’s first dedicated scientific satellite to conduct research in space-based polarization measurements of X-ray emissions from celestial sources.
• The satellite configuration is modified from the IMS-2 bus platform. The configuration of the mainframe system is based on the legacy of the IRS satellites.
• It has two payloads named POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing). POLIX has been characterized by the Raman Research Institute and XSPECT by the Space Astronomy Group of URSC.

Mission objectives

• Measuring the polarization of X-rays in the energy band 8-30keV emanating from about 50 potential cosmic sources via Thomson scattering by the POLIX payload.
• To conduct long-term spectral and temporal studies of cosmic X-ray sources in the energy band 0.8-15keV by the XSPECT payload.
• Polarization and spectroscopic measurements of X-ray emission from cosmic sources by the POLIX and XSPECT payloads, respectively, in the normal energy bands.

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