Context: AstroSat, India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory, launched by PSLV-C30 (XL) in 2015 from Sriharikota, has completed a decade of successful operations in 2025.
About AstroSat
- Multi-Wavelength Coverage: Simultaneous observations in Visible, Ultraviolet (UV), Low-energy X-ray, and High-energy X-ray bands.
- Payloads:
- 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)
- Operations: Managed by Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru.
Major Contributions & Discoveries
- Provided new insights into compact celestial objects such as black holes and neutron stars.
- Enabled observation of Proxima Centauri, the nearest star system to Earth.
- Achieved the first detection of Far Ultraviolet (FUV) photons from galaxies 9.3 billion light-years away.
- Supplied extensive data to the global astronomy community, boosting India’s role in international collaborations.
Significance
- Showcased India’s ability to design, build, and operate advanced space observatories.
- Strengthened India’s contribution to astrophysics and multi-wavelength astronomy.
- Reinforced ISRO’s reputation in low-cost, high-impact space missions.