Thu Jan 16 11:20:00 UTC 2025: **ISRO Achieves Historic Space Docking, Joining Elite Spacefaring Nations**

Bengaluru, January 16, 2025 – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed a historic space docking experiment, making India the fourth nation – after the USA, Russia, and China – to achieve this milestone. The experiment, codenamed SpaDeX, involved the successful docking of two satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), launched on December 30, 2024.

The docking, overseen by officials at the ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC), was completed in the early hours of Thursday. ISRO announced the success via X, detailing the precise maneuvering and capture of the satellites. Post-docking, control of the two satellites as a single unit was also successfully achieved. Further tests, including undocking and power transfer, are planned for the coming days.

The SpaDeX mission is crucial for ISRO’s future ambitions, paving the way for complex missions such as sending an Indian astronaut to the Moon, lunar sample return missions, and the construction of an Indian Space Station. The technology demonstrated also enables power transfer between spacecraft, vital for in-space robotics and payload operations. After completing the docking and undocking procedures, the satellites will continue their individual missions for up to two years.

The experiment was initially scheduled for January 7th but was postponed due to technical issues requiring further ground simulations. A subsequent delay occurred on January 9th due to unexpected satellite drift, which was later resolved. ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Dr. V. Narayanan, extended his congratulations to the ISRO team on this significant achievement.

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