On 16th January, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced a historic achievement: India successfully conducted space docking, becoming the fourth country in the world to do so, after Russia, the United States, and China. This milestone was accomplished as part of the SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission.
Key Highlights:
- Mission Details:
- SpaDeX demonstrated rendezvous, docking, and undocking technologies critical for future space exploration.
- The docking process involved maneuvering from a 15-meter hold point to a 3-meter hold point, followed by precise docking, retraction, and rigidisation for stability.
- Post-docking, ISRO established control of the two docked satellites as a single object.
- Next Steps:
- Testing undocking mechanisms.
- Power transfer checks between the docked spacecraft, a technology essential for in-space robotics, payload operations, and spacecraft control.
- Future Applications:
- The success of SpaDeX sets the stage for high-profile projects, including:
- Indian Space Station: Enabling advanced docking capabilities.
- Chandrayaan-4: Ensuring the success of future lunar missions.
- Demonstrated electric power transfer between docked spacecraft, a vital technology for sustained operations in space.
- The success of SpaDeX sets the stage for high-profile projects, including:
- Launch Details:
- SpaDeX was launched on 30th December 2024 aboard the PSLV-C60 rocket, which also carried several innovative payloads.
- Leadership:
- The mission was led by Project Director N. Surendran, who emphasized the importance of this technology in India’s long-term space exploration goals.
