Mon Dec 30 18:30:00 UTC 2024: ## India Successfully Launches SpaDeX Mission, Paving Way for Future Space Ambitions
**Sriharikota, India** – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched its SpaDeX mission on Monday night, marking a significant step towards achieving advanced space docking capabilities. The PSLV-C60 rocket launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, successfully placing two satellites into orbit.
The SpaDeX mission, a crucial step for future ambitious projects like lunar sample return missions, a crewed lunar mission, and the construction of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), will demonstrate India’s ability to dock satellites in space. This achievement will place India among an elite group of nations – Russia, the US, and China – possessing this crucial technology.
ISRO Chairman S Somanath stated that the docking maneuver between the two satellites, SDX01 Chaser and SDX02 Target, is expected on January 7th. The satellites, currently separated by approximately 20 km, will gradually reduce the distance using sophisticated propulsion systems, eventually joining and transferring electrical power before separating again. The mission will also conduct various experiments, including biological experiments on plant growth in microgravity, and testing of technologies like a debris capture robotic arm.
The SpaDeX mission is not just about docking; it’s a platform for testing 24 technologies, some developed by start-ups and educational institutions. The successful completion of the mission is seen as a key enabler for future complex missions involving large payloads, which often necessitate modular assembly in space. The planned Chandrayaan-4 mission, for example, will rely on similar docking procedures for sample return. The long-term goal is the construction of the BAS, a modular space station requiring precise docking capabilities.
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