SpaDeX mission to dock two satellites!
New Delhi, Dec 30 (EFE) –
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Monday launched its SpaDeX mission to dock two satellites, a technological milestone achieved only by the United States, Russia, and China.
The PSLV C60/SpaDeX mission module – the space docking experiment – was launched after 10 pm local time from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on the island of Sriharikota in the state of Andhra Pradesh, on the east coast of the country.
It was broadcast live by ISRO, and was completed in 16 minutes.
In a pre-launch statement, ISRO emphasized the importance of this mission’s technological development in the context of its space aspirations, particularly the Chandrayaan program, through which India aims to send astronauts to the moon in 2040.
“Space Docking Experiment is a pioneering mission to establish India’s capability in orbital docking, a key technology for future human spaceflight and satellite servicing missions,” the space agency said.
The program’s previous mission, Chandrayaan-3, made India the first country to land on the satellite’s south pole, a previously unexplored area, in August 2023.
The progressive docking of the satellites launched on Monday will occur over the next few days.
Driven by the launch vehicle, the satellites will dock from an initial distance of 10 to 20 kilometers, ISRO said.
After docking, the two satellites will be launched from an initial distance of 10 to 20 kilometers, ISRO said.
Driven by the launch vehicle, the satellites will proceed to dock, afterwards, they will perform an energy payload transfer demonstration before undocking, the Indian space agency said.
India’s space industry is in full growth mode, with a defined roadmap for the coming decades in which it hopes to have its own space station or put an astronaut on the moon.
The country launched its first mission to study the Sun, Aditya-L1 (Sun in Sanskrit), in September 2023 and plans to build a space station by 2035, send its first astronaut to the moon in 2040, or launch new missions to neighboring planets Venus and Mars. EFE
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