India Achieves Milestone in Space Docking
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has confirmed the successful undocking of its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), marking a major achievement in India’s space technology. This breakthrough sets the foundation for future missions, including Chandrayaan-4, Gaganyaan, and the Bharatiya Antriksha Station.
The SpaDeX mission, launched on December 30, 2024, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, involved two satellites, SDX01 and SDX02—also known as Chaser and Target—which successfully docked on January 16, 2025. With this success, India joins an elite group of nations—the United States, Russia, and China—that have accomplished space docking.
ISRO Details the Docking and Undocking Process
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), ISRO outlined the sequence of steps that led to the experiment’s success. The process involved an SDX-2 extension, the planned release of capture lever 3, disengagement of the capture lever in SDX-2, and the final de-capture command for both satellites.
Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh congratulated the ISRO team, calling the achievement “heartening for every Indian.” He emphasized that this technology will ensure the smooth execution of India’s ambitious space missions.
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan previously shared that additional experiments with SpaDeX would begin from March 15 onwards, with a 10-15 day window available once every two months due to the satellite’s elliptical orbit.
Importance of the Space Docking Experiment
The SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective demonstration of space docking using two small spacecraft launched by a PSLV rocket. This technology is crucial for multi-stage missions requiring multiple launches to achieve a common goal. The success of this mission strengthens India’s capabilities in satellite servicing, in-orbit assembly, and future interplanetary missions.
With SpaDeX, ISRO has taken another significant step toward advanced space operations, space station development, and deep space exploration.
