The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), successfully executed the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) this Thursdayand with this, it joins the select group of nations capable of carrying out the complex maneuver of docking ships in space, after the United States, Russia and China.
“Spacecraft docking successfully completed! A historic moment,” ISRO reported.
The coupling, which took place in the early hours of this Thursday, It involved two small satellites, SDX01 (the Pursuer) and SDX02 (the Target), launched aboard the PSLV C60 rocket on December 30, 2024.
“India became the fourth country to achieve successful space docking. Congratulations to the entire team! Congratulations to India!” added the Indian space agency.
ISRO further confirmed the successful control of the two docked satellites as a single unit, and the decoupling and power transfer verifications. They are scheduled for the next few days.
“After docking, control of the two satellites as if they were a single object, has been done correctly. In the coming days, decoupling and energy transfer checks will be carried out,” he assured.
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SpaDeX mission is a crucial project for ISROdesigned to develop and demonstrate the technologies necessary for the rendezvous, docking and undocking of spacecraft. These capabilities They are essential for ambitious future missions, which include sending Indian astronauts to the Moon, lunar sample return missions, and the construction and operation of a future Indian space station.
The mission also aims to demonstrate the transfer of electrical energy between docked spacecraft, a vital role for robotics in spaceaccording to ISRO.
After the docking and undocking phases, the satellites will be separated and deployed for their individual application missionswith an expected useful life of up to two years.
SpaDeX docking was initially scheduled for January 7, but was postponed due to the need to perform additional ground simulationsand an unexpected drift between the satellites.
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Despite operating on a significantly smaller budget, compared to other major space agencies such as NASA or ESA, ISRO has earned a prominent place in the space race, demonstrating an ability to develop complex technologies, and carry out successful missions with a focus on cost efficiency.
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