Mon Dec 30 16:00:00 UTC 2024: ## ISRO’s Space Docking Experiment Launch Delayed by Two Minutes
**Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh –** The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced a two-minute delay in the launch of its PSLV-C60 rocket carrying the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX). The launch, a key milestone in India’s space program, is now scheduled for 10:00 pm IST on December 30, 2024, instead of the originally planned 9:58 pm. No reason for the delay has been given.
SpaDeX aims to demonstrate India’s capability in orbital docking, a crucial technology for future human spaceflight and satellite servicing missions. This will place India among an elite group of nations possessing this technology, including China, Russia, and the US.
The PSLV-C60 rocket will carry two spacecraft, SDX01 and SDX02, which will be placed 5 km apart. Over the following 10-14 days, ISRO scientists will maneuver them to within 3 meters of each other before docking at an altitude of approximately 470 km. The spacecraft carry various payloads including high-resolution cameras and radiation monitors for scientific research.
In addition to SpaDeX, the mission will also deploy 24 secondary payloads as part of the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module-4 (POEM-4). This will be ISRO’s final mission of 2024 and utilizes the first PSLV vehicle integrated up to the fourth stage at the newly established PSLV Integration Facility. The mission is considered a cost-effective technology demonstrator crucial for India’s ambitious space goals, including lunar missions and the construction of a space station, Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
First Piper 