According to Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) year-end mission is going to be a historic one as it will seek the rare feat of docking or merging or joining together two satellites in space. The project has been named ‘Space Docking Experiment’ (SpaDeX).
Singh mentioned that the upcoming SpaDeX mission aims to dock two satellites in space. The project will take place on December 30, 2024, under SpaDeX and technology used for this mission is called the ‘Bharatiya Docking System’.
As per him, the success of this mission is vital for India’s future space ambitions. Docking technology is key for long-term missions like “Chandrayaan-4” and planned Indian space station. It is also crucial for the eventual manned ‘Gaganyaan’ mission.
Singh further added that in the near vacuum of space, ISRO will attempt to dock two satellites orbiting at speeds of 28,800 kilometre per hour (km/h). This is a challenging task, as both satellites must be carefully manoeuvred to reduce their relative velocities to a mere 0.036 km/h. The two satellites, designated ‘Chaser’ and ‘Target’, will merge to form a single unit in space.
ISRO’s achievement will place India among the world’s space leaders, marking a step towards greater space exploration and innovation. SpaDeX is a significant milestone that paves the way for more complex space missions in the coming years. ISRO’s SpaDEX mission will demonstrate India’s Spacecraft Docking technology, marking a crucial step in space exploration and satellite servicing capabilities.
The mission will use PSLV-C60, lifting off at 21:58 IST from Sriharikota. Meanwhile, SpaDEX will deploy two identical satellites, SDX01 and SDX02. Each satellite weighs around 220 kilograms and will orbit 470 km above Earth. Key objectives include performing precision rendezvous and docking manoeuvres, validating power transfer between docked spacecraft and operating payloads post-undocking, with a two-year lifespan. This mission is essential for future endeavours, including satellite servicing and building Bharatiya Antriksh Station.
Moreover, SpaDEX will also use PSLV’s fourth stage, POEM-4, for experiments. The stage will carry 24 payloads from academic institutions and start-ups. These experiments will utilise the microgravity environment in orbit.
SpaDEX will demonstrate docking and undocking capabilities between satellites. This includes transferring power and operating scientific payloads. The mission will simulate a sequence of manoeuvres, starting with a far rendezvous phase at 20 km and ending with docking at three metres. This capability is vital for India’s lunar and interplanetary missions. Docking technology enables multi-launch missions and supports future human spaceflight. Only the US, Russia, and China have mastered such advancements so far.
