Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #30938: HaloSat: Peering Into the Milky Way’s Fiery Halo with a Tiny Satellite

When it comes to studying the vast reaches of space, bigger isn't always better. HaloSat, a CubeSat mission led by Dr. Philip Kaaret of the University of Iowa, used a small satellite to investigate one of the Milky Way's most mysterious components—the hot galactic halo.

The galactic halo is an extended, diffuse region of hot gas that surrounds our galaxy. Understanding its temperature, composition, and structure can reveal how galaxies like ours form and evolve. HaloSat, deployed from the ISS during Expedition 55/56, carried X-ray detectors that measured emissions from this hot plasma.

Despite its compact size, HaloSat made significant contributions to astrophysics. It helped clarify the distribution of hot gas, confirming it forms more of a pancake shape than a sphere—an important clue for galaxy formation theories. This mission exemplifies how cost-effective CubeSats can conduct sophisticated research once only possible with large observatories.

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