ISRO’s Historic SpaDeX Mission: India Set to Achieve Rare Space Docking Feat on December 30, 2024.
New Delhi:
ISRO’s year-end mission, SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment), will make history on December 30, 2024, as India seeks to achieve the rare feat of docking two satellites in space. This groundbreaking mission, set to launch from Sriharikota aboard the PSLV-C60 rocket, marks a significant milestone in India’s space program.
Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, announced that SpaDeX will demonstrate India’s pioneering expertise in spacecraft docking technology, a capability mastered only by a few countries. The mission will see two satellites, SDX01 and SDX02, engage in a precise docking process 470 kilometers above Earth, showcasing India’s prowess in rendezvous and docking operations.
The SpaDeX mission is a critical step towards future space endeavors. It will involve complex maneuvers to reduce the relative velocity between the satellites to just 0.036 km/h, ensuring a successful merger of the two. This technology is crucial for long-term space missions like “Chandrayaan-4”, India’s planned space station, and the upcoming manned “Gaganyaan” mission.
The satellites, equipped with the “Bharatiya Docking System”, will perform key tasks such as transferring power between docked spacecraft and conducting experiments in the microgravity environment. The mission will also lay the foundation for satellite servicing and multi-launch missions, essential for India’s lunar and interplanetary ambitions.
The success of SpaDeX will propel India into the exclusive club of nations capable of performing spacecraft docking, alongside the United States, Russia, and China. As ISRO aims for greater space exploration and innovation, SpaDeX will be a cornerstone for India’s evolving space capabilities.
