ISRO efficiently executes SpaDeX docking experiment; India joins elite membership of countries

Dr. V. Narayanan, Secretary DOS, Chairman House Fee and Chairman ISRO, congratulated the group ISRO after SpaDeX docking, on January 16, 2025
| Picture Credit score: X/@ISRO

The Indian House Analysis Organisation (ISRO) within the early hours of Thursday (January 16, 2025) efficiently executed the SpaDeX docking experiment making India the fourth nation after the USA, Russia and China this historic feat.

The 2 satellites SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Goal) which have been launched by the PSLV C60 on December 30, 2024, efficiently docked because the house company officers from the Mission Operations Advanced (MOX) at ISRO Telemetry, Monitoring, and Command Community (ISTRAC) oversaw the complicated docking process.

“Docking Success Spacecraft docking efficiently accomplished! A historic second. Let’s stroll by way of the SpaDeX docking course of: Manoeuvre from 15m to 3m maintain level accomplished. Docking initiated with precision, resulting in profitable spacecraft seize. Retraction accomplished easily, adopted by rigidisation for stability. Docking efficiently accomplished. India grew to become the 4th nation to realize profitable House Docking. Congratulations to all the group! Congratulations to India!,” ISRO posted on X.  

ISRO additional added that publish docking, management of two satellites as a single object is profitable. “Undocking and energy switch checks to comply with in coming days,” ISRO stated.

Earlier this week, ISRO had moved the satellites inside three metres in a trial try. It then moved the spacecraft again to protected distance.

The SpaDeX mission is a vital venture by ISRO which is designed to develop and display the expertise wanted for spacecraft rendezvous, docking and undocking utilizing two small satellites.

The demonstration of this expertise is important for futuristic missions reminiscent of sending an Indian astronaut on the Moon, pattern return from the Moon, the constructing and operation of the Indian House Station.

The opposite goals of the mission embrace demonstration of the switch of electrical energy between the docked spacecraft which is important for future functions reminiscent of in-space robotics, composite spacecraft management and payload operations after undocking.

In keeping with ISRO, after the docking and undocking occasions, the spacecraft might be separated and used for utility missions.

“After profitable docking and rigidization, electrical energy switch between the 2 satellites might be demonstrated earlier than undocking and separation of the 2 satellites to start out the operation of their respective payloads for the anticipated mission lifetime of as much as two years,” ISRO stated.

The SpaDeX Docking was scheduled on January 7 however was postponed.

“The docking course of requires additional validation by way of floor simulations based mostly on an abort state of affairs recognized immediately (Jaunary 6),” ISRO had cited as the explanation for the postponement of the experiment.

On January 8, 2025, hours earlier than it was scheduled to hold out the SpaDeX docking experiment, ISRO stated that the docking experiment which was scheduled to happen on January 9 has been postponed because the drift between the satellites was discovered greater than anticipated.

It later arrested the drift between the spacecraft.

ISRO launched the SpaDeX mission on December 30, 2024 from the Satish Dhawan House Centre in Sriharikota. Couple of minutes after liftoff, the 2 satellites (Goal and Chaser) weighing about 220 kg every have been launched right into a 475-km round orbit as supposed.