SpaDeX Mission | Two satellites simply 50 ft away for an thrilling handshake says ISRO

ISRO’s PSLV-C60 carrying SpaDeX and its payloads, lifts off from the primary launch pad at Satish Dhawan Area Centre, in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, Monday, Dec. 30, 2024.
| Photograph Credit score: PTI

The Indian Area Analysis Organisation (ISRO) introduced early on Sunday (January 12, 2024) that the SpaDeX satellites SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Goal) are inside 15 meters of one another.

“SpaDeX Docking Replace: At 15m we see one another clearer and clearer, we’re simply 50 ft away for an thrilling handshake,” the house company posted on X.

It additionally launched photographs and movies of the 2 satellites.

With the 2 satellites 15 meters aside ISRO has overcome the setback it had suffered final week when a drift had occurred between the satellites which was discovered greater than anticipated.

Attributable to this the docking experiment was postponed.

On January 8, 2025 hours earlier than it was scheduled to hold out the SpaDeX docking experiment, ISRO mentioned 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.

The docking of the 2 satellites was initially scheduled for January 7 however was postponed to January 9. ISRO later arrested the drift.

Additionally Learn | ISRO launches SpaDeX mission for house docking

The inter-satellite distance will now be decreased to three meters earlier than docking them collectively.

The SPAeX mission is a crucial undertaking 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 equivalent to sending an Indian astronaut on the Moon, pattern return from the Moon, the constructing and operation of the Indian Area Station.

If ISRO efficiently executes the SpaDeX docking experiment making India the fourth nation after the USA, Russia and China this historic feat.

ISRO launched the SpaDeX mission on December 30, 2024 from the Satish Dhawan Area Centre in Sriharikota.