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India joins elite space club with successful satellite docking

This successful operation was completed on January 16, 2025. It will further strengthen India's growing position in advanced space technologies
01:25 AM Jan 17, 2025 IST | SURINDER SINGH OBEROI
india joins elite space club with successful satellite docking
India joins elite space club with successful satellite docking
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New Delhi, Jan 16: India has joined the exclusive group of nations capable of executing space docking operations, after the successful demonstration of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission.

This successful operation was completed on January 16, 2025. It will further strengthen India's growing position in advanced space technologies.

President Droupadi Murmu congratulated ISRO for the feat. “India’s space programme achieves historic milestone with the successful docking of the two satellites launched under Space Docking Experiment, SpaDeX! India is the fourth nation to have demonstrated space docking capability. This achievement paves the way for India's future endeavours in space exploration such as Chandrayaan-4, India's planned space station and Gaganyaan. Congratulations to ISRO and the entire scientists and engineers communities of the country for boosting India’s space capabilities,” the President said in a post on X.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the broader scientific community on the historic accomplishment.

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In a message on social media platform X, the Prime Minister said, "Congratulations to our scientists at @isro and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites. It is a significant stepping stone for India’s ambitious space missions in the years to come."

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SpaDeX’s docking operation marks a key moment for ISRO as India becomes the fourth country to achieve this complex technological milestone. Launched on December 30, 2024, aboard the PSLV-C60 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, the mission utilized two small spacecraft, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), weighing 220 kilograms each.

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This capability positions India to advance in areas such as satellite servicing, interplanetary exploration, and the development of space stations like the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS).

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The docking sequence unfolded flawlessly, with the spacecraft manoeuvring from a 15-meter approach point to a 3-meter hold position. Precision docking was achieved through a series of automated steps, including spacecraft capture, retraction, and rigidisation. Post-docking, the integrated system operated as a unified satellite, successfully transferring power between the two components.

The mission also aims to validate undocking operations and additional power transfer protocols in the coming days.

Home Minister Amit Shah also congratulated ISRO scientists for successful space docking. He termed the development ‘another milestone in space journey’.

He said this landmark achievement has made India the fourth country to have space docking technology.

Taking to micro-blogging site X, Home Minister Amit Shah said: “Another milestone in our space journey! Kudos to our scientists at @isro for the successful space docking of satellites. This landmark achievement makes us the 4th country to have space docking technology and sets us to achieve Modi Ji's vision for Bharat as a leader in space technology. We are proud of our scientists”.

Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, hailed the mission calling it a transformative step in India’s space exploration journey. He highlighted the use of the indigenous Bharatiya Docking System, as a successful step for future missions such as Chandrayaan-4, Gaganyaan, and the BAS project.

Dr Jitendra Singh also revealed a collaboration between the Department of Biotechnology and ISRO to explore biological applications in space, further expanding India’s horizons in scientific research.

Post-mission, the spacecraft will separate and carry out individual payload operations, including high-resolution imaging, resource monitoring, and vegetation studies. These advancements are critical for missions like lunar exploration, sample return, and deep space exploration. This achievement heralds a new era for ISRO, setting the stage for even more ambitious endeavours in the coming years and solidifying its position on the global space map.