New Delhi: In a major achievement, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), successfully completed the docking of its SDX01 and SDX02 SpaDeX satellites for the second time.
The accomplishment was highlighted by union minister Jitendra Singh through an ‘X’ post that stated: “Glad to inform you that the second docking of satellites has been accomplished successfully.”
According to ISRO, the successful docking and undocking of the SpaDeX satellites were achieved at a 460-km circular orbit with a 45-degree inclination. The entire process was completed in a single attempt, showcasing ISRO’s precision and expertise in space technology. This mission sets the foundation for advanced experiments and missions involving orbital docking and spacecraft manoeuvres. The mission’s success is expected to have significant implications for India’s future space endeavours.
“The results will be useful for multiple purposes, including future missions like Chandrayaan 4, Gaganyaan and India’s space station,” ISRO chairman V Narayanan said.
The SpaDeX mission demonstrates ISRO’s growing capabilities in complex space operations and strengthens its position in the global space community. The two satellites were launched by a PSLV-C60 rocket on December 30, 2024. While SDX01 is designated as the Chaser, SDX02 is the Target. On January 16, at 06:20 am, these satellites achieved the first successful docking, making India the fourth country after the US, Russia, and China to accomplish this technological feat.
ISRO has described the SpaDeX mission as a “cost-effective technology demonstrator mission”, focused on demonstrating in-space docking using two small spacecraft. The operation involved intricate orbital rendezvous, docking, and proximity manoeuvres. These capabilities were further tested when the satellites were successfully undocked on March 13 at 09:20 am.
Singh informed that further experiments are planned. “As informed earlier, the PSLV-C60/SPADEX mission was successfully launched on 30 December 2024. Thereafter, the satellites were successfully docked for the first time on 16 January 2025 at 06:20 AM and successfully undocked on 13 March 2025 at 09:20 AM. Further experiments are planned in the next two weeks,” the minister has posted.
These upcoming tests are expected to refine and enhance ISRO’s capabilities in this domain. With the successful completion of the SpaDeX mission, ISRO has demonstrated all the capabilities required for rendezvous, docking, and undocking operations in orbit.
