India Tests Critical Space Docking Technology with SpaDeX Mission
India achieved a major milestone in its space programme on Monday, launching a spacecraft designed to test docking technologies essential for future space missions. The launch took place at 11:30 a.m. Eastern (10 p.m. local time) on December 30 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
A Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60) successfully carried the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) as its primary payload, along with 24 secondary experiments aboard the POEM-4 module. These secondary payloads included innovations such as a walking robotic arm, a debris capture manipulator, and a compact plant research module.
SpaDeX Mission Details
SpaDeX, a mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), aims to demonstrate on-orbit docking technology, which is critical for India’s ambitious space plans. These include the development of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) and lunar sample return missions. The experiment involves two 220-kilogram spacecraft: SDX01, the chaser, and SDX02, the target. Both were successfully deployed into a 475-kilometre orbit with a 55-degree inclination.
The mission utilises an indigenous low-impact docking system, advanced sensors like the Laser Range Finder (LRF), and a GNSS-based Relative Orbit Determination and Propagation (RODP) processor for precise positioning. ISRO Chairman S. Somanath praised the teams, confirming the successful deployment of the solar arrays and setting January 7 as the date for docking operations.
Future Applications of Docking Technology in India
The SpaDeX mission demonstrates technologies required for long-term projects, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme and the Chandrayaan-4 lunar south pole sampling mission. These missions necessitate docking for sample transfers and crewed operations. Gaganyaan’s first crewed flight is planned for 2026, following uncrewed test flights in 2025. Chandrayaan-4, expected to launch around 2027 or 2028, will also leverage SpaDeX’s advancements.
India’s Growing Space Milestones
The SpaDeX and POEM-4 mission marks India’s fifth orbital launch of 2024. Other significant launches this year included the XPoSat X-ray astronomy satellite, the INSAT-3DS meteorological satellite, and the SSLV rocket launch of the EOS-08 Earth observation satellite. These missions reflect ISRO’s continued progress in advanced space technologies.