ISRO launches SpaDeX mission for area docking

ISRO efficiently launches Polar Satellite tv for pc Launch automobile (PSLV-C60) with two Area Docking Experiment (SpaDEX) satellites SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Goal) and 24 different modern payloads from the Satish Dhawan Area Centre (SDSC), in Sriharikota on December 30, 2024.
| Picture Credit score: ANI/ISRO

The Indian Area Analysis Organisation (ISRO) efficiently launched the Area Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission on Monday.

The PSLV C60 rocket carrying two small satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Goal), together with 24 payloads, lifted off from the primary launchpad of the Satish Dhawan Area Centre in Sriharikota at 10 p.m. About quarter-hour after liftoff, the 2 small spacecraft weighing about 220 kg every had been launched right into a 475-km round orbit as meant.

“The rocket has positioned the satellites in the fitting orbit which is right into a 475-km round orbit. The spacecraft’s photo voltaic panels have been deployed efficiently. The 2 SpaDeX satellites have moved one behind one other so over a time frame it can choose up journey additional distance, the space will enhance by 20 km over the following few days after which the rendezvous and docking course of will begin. The docking course of can occur in one other one week; the nominal time can be roughly January 7,” stated ISRO Chairman S Somanth.

With the SpaDeX mission, ISRO goals to exhibit applied sciences wanted for spacecraft rendezvous, docking, and undocking utilizing two small satellites which have been mastered by solely an elite group of spacefaring nations.

The demonstration of this know-how is important for futuristic missions akin to sending an Indian astronaut on the Moon, pattern return from the Moon, the constructing and operation of the Indian Area Station.

ISRO stated that the demonstrated precision of the PSLV automobile can be utilised to offer a small relative velocity between the Goal and Chaser spacecraft on the time of separation from the launch automobile.

“This incremental velocity will enable the Goal spacecraft to construct a 10-20 km inter-satellite separation with respect to the Chaser inside a day. At this level, the relative velocity between the Goal can be compensated utilizing the propulsion system of the Goal spacecraft,” ISRO stated.

ISRO added that on the finish of this drift arrest manoeuvre, Goal and Chaser can be in the identical orbit with equivalent velocity however separated by about 20 km, generally known as Far Rendezvous.

“With the same technique of introducing after which compensating for a small relative velocity between the 2 spacecraft, the Chaser will strategy the Goal with progressively lowered inter-satellite distances of 5 km, 1.5 km, 500 m, 225 m, 15 m, and three m, finally resulting in the docking of the 2 spacecraft,” it added.

U R Rao Satellite tv for pc Centre Director M. Sanakaran stated the docking is predicted between January 7 and 10.

Twenty-four PS4-Orbital Experiment Module (POEM-4) payloads can even onboard the PSLV-C60 SpaDeX mission.