ISRO's SpaDeX Mission: India's Leap into Autonomous Satellite Docking
ISRO's SpaDeX Mission: India's Leap into Autonomous Satellite Docking The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has embarked on a groundbreaking mission with the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), aiming to demonstrate the capability of docking two satellites in orbit—a feat previously achieved only by the USA, Russia, and China. The Times Mission Overview Launched on December 30, 2024, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60) successfully deployed two 220-kilogram spacecraft into a 470-kilometer circular orbit. These satellites, designated SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), are integral to SpaDeX's primary objective: developing and demonstrating the technology required for rendezvous, docking, and undocking of small spacecraft in low-Earth orbit. ISRO Significance of SpaDeX Achieving in-orbit docking is a critical milestone for several advanced space operations, including satellite servicing, space station asse...