ISRO has re-established its feat by successfully re-entering the PSVLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) class into Earth's atmosphere without leaving any debris.
According to a statement released by the agency, the operation was conducted on January 1, 2024. Following the successful establishment of all satellites in their designated orbits, the final phase of the PSVLV was converted into a 3-axis stable platform known as POEM-3.
The operation brought the craft to an orbit ranging from 650 to 350 kilometers, facilitating its swift re-entry and deactivating any remaining propellants to reduce the risk of an unforeseen break-up.
The agency configured POEM-3 with a total of 9 different experimental payloads to test newly developed indigenous systems and scientific experiments. Six of these payloads were distributed by IN-SPACe through IN-SPACe, and the mission objectives of these payloads were fulfilled within a month.
ISRO has opened up new avenues for educators, startups, and IN-SPACe with its POEM platform, which serves as a highly cost-effective platform for conducting short-term space-borne experiments. The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) has expanded POEM's concept and realized it by enhancing the fourth phase of the PSVLV and naming it POEM.
The PSLV-C58/XPoSat series is the third such mission, with each POEM mission successfully executed. Payload operations were conducted efficiently by the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), with the ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Spacecraft Operations Management (IS4OM) monitoring and analyzing the entire satellite campaign.