Hyderabad-based Ananth Technologies Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad (ATL), a leading innovator in the field of aerospace which has been partnering with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for all their space programmes, has played a key role in the latest XpoSat - India’s first dedicated ‘polarimetry mission’ to study various dynamics of bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions, launched using the PSLV on Monday.
ATL, with its extensive experience in satellite systems design, development and integration, has supplied several mission critical systems for XPoSat like a star sensor for self-stabilisation of the satellite, attitude processing unit for orientation of satellite and camera head unit for capturing the star image.
Transducer excitation module for generating excitation voltages to transducers, advanced data acquisition modules, control electronics for actuators, advanced telemetry systems, pyro control systems, squib safe / arm systems, and command execution module for equipment bay separation are a few major systems supplied to the PSLV-C58 launch vehicle, informed Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Subba Rao Pavuluri.
India is the second country in the world to launch an advanced astronomy observatory to study celestial happenings. XPoSat aims to measure the polarisation of X-rays coming from various celestial sources which is expected to provide valuable information about the geometry and physical processes in extreme environments such as those around black holes, neutron stars, and other high-energy astrophysical objects. XPoSat also contributes to the study of cosmic rays and solar phenomena.
PSLV-C58 is the eighth launch vehicle and has been successfully integrated by the ATL team with five more launch vehicles currently under integration. The firm has dedicated facilities in Thiruvananthapuram for the fabrication, assembly, testing, and supply of advanced electronic packages, computer systems, and various sub-systems for launch vehicles, as well as integration of launch vehicles. In Bengaluru, it has established extensive facilities for satellite manufacturing. ATL has so far contributed to 97 satellites and 77 launch vehicles so far for the country’s space programmes, said a press release.
