SpaDeX Mission: ISRO efficiently executes second docking of satellites

Undocking of the 2 satellites on March 13, 2025. The primary docking befell on January 16, 2025.
| Picture Credit score: Particular Association

The Indian Area Analysis Organisation (ISRO) has efficiently executed the second docking of the 2 satellites, that are a part of the Area Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission.

On April 21, Union Minister of State for Science and Know-how Jitendra Singh posted on social media the second docking of the satellites SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Goal).

“#ISRO SPADEX Replace: Glad to tell that the second docking of satellites has been achieved efficiently. As knowledgeable earlier, the PSLV-C60 / SPADEX mission was efficiently launched on 30 December 2024. Thereafter the satellites have been efficiently docked for the primary time on 16 January 2025 at 06:20 AM and efficiently undocked on 13 March 2025 at 09:20 AM. Additional experiments are deliberate within the subsequent two weeks,” the Minister posted on X.

Earlier this yr, India turned the fourth nation after the U.S., Russia and China to conduct the docking experiment.

The SpaDeX mission is a vital mission by ISRO. It’s designed to develop and reveal the know-how wanted for spacecraft rendezvous, docking and undocking utilizing two small satellites.

The demonstration of this know-how is important for future missions, reminiscent of sending an Indian astronaut to the Moon, returning samples from the Moon, and the constructing and operation of the Indian Area Station.

The opposite goals of the mission embody 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.