Just one day after having to delay its Space Docking Experiment (called SpaDeX) for the second time because the satellites were too far apart, ISRO (the Indian Space Research Organisation) has now adjusted the spacecraft. They managed to stop the drift and have put the spacecraft on a slower path to move closer together. ISRO reported that by tomorrow, January 10, the spacecraft should be in the right position to try docking.
However, the space agency hasn’t said yet if they will attempt the docking tomorrow or wait for a later date. Earlier, Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State for Space, met with top ISRO officials, including chairman S Somanath and his successor V Narayanan. They talked about upcoming missions planned for early 2025.
ISRO is gearing up for a busy schedule in the first half of 2025. There are plans for two GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) missions, a commercial LVM3 launch, and the first test of the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, which will be uncrewed at first. The GSLV-F15 mission is set for late January and will launch the NVS-02 navigation satellite, which will help improve India’s NavIC satellite system. This satellite will include new atomic clocks and advanced signal capabilities, and preparations for its launch are well underway at Sriharikota.
In March 2025, there is another planned commercial LVM3-M5 mission to send BlueBird Block-2 satellites into space for a US company called AST SpaceMobile Inc.
The SpaDeX mission includes two satellites, SDX01 (the Chaser) and SDX02 (the Target), launched on December 30 using the PSLV C60 rocket. Both satellites weigh about 220 kg each and are placed in a 475-km orbit as expected.
ISRO says that the SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective way to show how in-space docking works with these two satellites. This technology is vital for India’s plans for future missions, like going to the Moon, bringing back samples from the Moon, and building the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS).
The Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) is a key project for India. It will help develop necessary skills for spacecraft to meet, dock together, and separate. This technology is important for future missions, like fixing satellites, running space stations, and exploring other planets.
Leave a Reply