PSLV’s Poem-3 burns up above Earth leaving zero debris in orbit

[Ajay0]

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) achieved another milestone as the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) re-entered Earth's atmosphere, leaving zero debris in orbit.

https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/pslv-poem-3-isro-zero-debris-mission-2519279-2024-03-25

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"The PSLV-C58/XPoSat mission has practically left zero debris in orbit," the Isro said in a statement.

The POEM-3 was part of the PSLV-C58 mission, which was accomplished on January 1, the Isro said.

After completing the primary mission of injecting all satellites into their desired orbits, the terminal stage of PSLV was transformed into a three-axis stabilised platform, the POEM-3, to carry out experiments.

"The stage was de-orbited from 650 km to 350 km, which facilitated its early re-entry, and was passivated to remove residual propellants to minimize any accidental break-up risks," Isro said.

Through the POEM, which serves as a very cost-effective platform for carrying out short-term space experiments, Isro has opened up new vistas for academia, startups, and NGEs to experiment with their new payloads.

"This novel opportunity has been effectively utilized by numerous startups, universities, and NGEs for carrying out experiments in space, which included electric thrusters, satellite dispensers, and star-tracking," the space organisation said.

 

Edited March 29 by Ajay0