Bengaluru, January 16:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a significant milestone on Thursday by successfully docking satellites as part of its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX).
“India makes its mark in space history! Good Morning India, ISRO’s SpaDeX mission achieves a historic docking success. Proud to witness this remarkable achievement!” ISRO announced in a post on ‘X’.
On January 12, ISRO conducted a trial where two spacecraft were brought within three meters of each other and then safely moved apart to test docking capabilities.
The SpaDeX mission was officially launched on December 30, 2024, by ISRO. A PSLV-C60 rocket carrying two small satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), along with 24 additional payloads, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. About 15 minutes after launch, the satellites—each weighing around 220 kg—were successfully placed in a 475-km circular orbit.
The SpaDeX mission serves as a cost-effective demonstration of in-space docking technology, a critical capability for missions requiring multiple rocket launches to achieve shared objectives.
This successful experiment further establishes India’s growing expertise in advanced space technologies and strengthens ISRO’s position in global space exploration.
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