SpaDeX Docking: ISRO Shares Latest Update On The Mission Timeline

ISRO SpaDeX Mission: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday mentioned that the drift has been arrested and spacecrafts have been put in a slow drift course to move closer to each other.

ISRO also provided an update on the timeline for the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) after it was postponed citing excessive drift during a crucial manoeuvre. The Indian Space Research Organisation mentioned that the docking initialisation conditions are expected to begin tomorrow.

The SpaDeX was supposed to take place on January 9.

"While making a manoeuvre to reach 225 m between satellites the drift was found to be more than expected, post non-visibility period. The planned docking for tomorrow is postponed. Satellites are safe. Stay tuned for updates," the space agency said in a post on X.

It was the second time when the ISRO postponed the SpaDeX mission.

The space agency had initially planned it on January 7, which was cancelled and postponed to Thursday, which again got cancelled.

With the SpaDeX mission, India will join global leaders in space docking technology.

ISRO had launched the two satellites -- SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target) -- as part of the mission on Dec. 30 with the help of a PSLV C60 rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The two small spacecraft weighing about 220 kg each were injected into a 475-km circular orbit as intended.

According to ISRO, SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of in-space docking using these two small spacecrafts.

The key objective of the SpaDeX Mission of ISRO is to build technology for docking and undocking a pair of small spacecraft in low earth orbit. The mission will also showcase electric power transfer between the docked spacecraft. This is critical for future missions like in-space robotics.  The objectives additionally include composite spacecraft control and payload operations after undocking.

In-space docking is a key to missions that need multiple rocket launches for various reasons. The successful execution of this mission will make India the fourth country to possess this capability.

The approximate duration of the mission is 66 days. This technology is essential for India's space ambitions such as Indian on Moon, sample return from the Moon, the building and operation of Bharatiya Antariksh Station, etc.

The SpaDeX docking event programme will be live-streamed on ISRO's official YouTube channel and other social media pages.