POEM Platform

Why in the News?

Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module or ‘POEM’.

What is POEM?

• The PSLV Orbital Experimental Module is a platform that will help perform in-orbit experiments using the final and otherwise discarded stage of ISRO’s workhorse rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

About PSLV and How will ISRO keep POEM ‘Alive and Stable’ in Orbit?

• The PSLV is a four-stage rocket where the first three spent stages fall back into the ocean, and the final stage (PS4) — after launching the satellite into orbit — ends up as space junk.
• However, in the PSLV-C53 mission, the spent final stage was utilized as a “stabilized platform” to perform experiments.
• POEM will derive its power from solar panels mounted around the PS4 tank and a Li-Ion battery.
• It will navigate using four sun sensors, a magnetometer, gyros & NavIC.