Fri Jan 10 17:02:39 UTC 2025: **ISRO’s Space Docking Experiment Faces Delays, But Remains on Track**
Bengaluru, January 11, 2025 – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced that its ambitious Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission, aiming to demonstrate in-space docking technology, has faced further delays. While initially scheduled for January 7th and then January 9th, the docking of the two SpaDeX satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), has been postponed again.
The satellites, currently 1.5 kilometers apart, are expected to be brought within 500 meters by Saturday morning. ISRO attributed the delays to unexpected drift between the spacecraft during earlier attempts to close the distance. The agency clarified that the drift has been successfully managed, and the satellites are now on a controlled, slower approach.
Launched on December 30th, 2024, aboard the PSLV C60 rocket, the SpaDeX mission represents a significant step towards India becoming the fourth nation, after the US, Russia, and China, to master in-space docking technology. This capability is crucial for future ambitious projects, including lunar sample return missions and the construction of the proposed Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). ISRO emphasizes that SpaDeX is a cost-effective demonstration, proving the feasibility of docking using relatively small satellites (approximately 220 kg each).
First Piper 