Mon Dec 30 18:32:30 UTC 2024: ## India Successfully Launches Ambitious Space Docking Experiment

**Sriharikota, India** – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its ambitious Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission on Monday at 10:00 PM IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The mission, launched aboard the PSLV-C60 rocket, marks a significant step forward in India’s space exploration capabilities, placing it among a select group of nations with in-space docking technology.

SpaDeX utilizes two 220kg satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), deployed into a low-Earth orbit at approximately 470 kilometers. The primary objective is to demonstrate and validate rendezvous, docking, and undocking technologies – crucial for future complex missions such as lunar exploration and the construction of the planned Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). The mission will also test inter-satellite communication, electrical power transfer between docked spacecraft, and the control of one satellite using another’s attitude control system.

The mission carries 24 innovative payloads, some developed by universities and startups, and will undergo a series of tests over the next two years. ISRO officials are optimistic about the mission’s success and its impact on India’s future space endeavors. The successful completion of SpaDeX would make India only the fourth country globally to master this critical space technology.

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