The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that its PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-3 (POEM-3) successfully re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere without leaving any debris in orbit, marking it as a significant achievement. The mission, termed as “another milestone” by ISRO, took place on January 1, 2024.
Following the primary mission of placing satellites into their designated orbits, the PSLV’s terminal stage was transformed into the stabilized platform POEM-3, which carried out various experimental payloads aimed at technology demonstrations and scientific experiments on indigenous systems.
The upper stage of the PSLV was de-orbited and passivated to minimize risks, with the module expected to impact the North Pacific Ocean on March 21, 2024. Through POEM, ISRO has provided a cost-effective platform for academia, startups, and other entities to conduct short-duration space experiments, including electric thrusters and satellite dispensers.
The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) led the conceptualization and realization of POEM, with ISRO committed to providing such experimental platforms in the future while also addressing the threat of space debris through advanced tracking systems and responsible satellite deployment practices.