India has successfully launched its first space docking mission, called the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), using an Indian-made rocket. This endeavor aims to position India among the world’s elite countries capable of achieving this advanced technological feat.
The mission lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh at 16:30 GMT aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) PSLV rocket, known as the “workhorse” of India’s space program. Approximately 15 minutes after launch, mission director confirmed its success as the spacecraft reached an altitude of about 470 kilometers (292 miles).
This mission is pivotal for future initiatives in space, including satellite servicing and the operation of India’s planned space station. In-space docking technology is essential for coordinating multiple rocket launches aimed at shared mission objectives.
The SpaDeX mission involves deploying two small spacecraft, each weighing around 220 kilograms, into a circular orbit at 470 kilometers. It will also demonstrate the transfer of electric power between the docked spacecraft, an important capability for applications in in-space robotics, spacecraft control, and payload operations after undocking.
Both satellites are equipped with advanced payloads, including an imaging system and a radiation monitoring device to measure electron and proton radiation levels in space, crucial for future human spaceflight missions.
ISRO Chairman S. Somanath stated that actual testing of the docking technology is projected to begin in about a week, with a targeted date around January 7. “The rocket has placed the satellites in the right orbit,” he confirmed.
A successful demonstration of this capability would place India alongside the United States, Russia, and China as the only countries to develop and test such technology. Notably, this mission marked the first time the rocket and satellites were integrated and tested at a private company, Ananth Technologies, rather than a government institution.
Astrophysicist Somak Raychaudhary of Ashoka University emphasized that showcasing this technology not only allows India to join an exclusive group of nations but also expands ISRO’s market potential as a launch partner for various global missions requiring docking facilities or space assembly.
Additionally, the fourth stage of the PSLV, typically transformed into space debris, has been repurposed into an active un-crewed laboratory. This PSLV Orbital Experiment Module (POEM) enables Indian start-ups, academic institutions, and research organizations to test their space technologies without launching entire satellites, thereby lowering entry barriers and encouraging broader participation in the space sector, according to Pawan Goenka, chairman of India’s space regulatory body.
Credit: CNN
