India Achieves Historic Space-Docking Test

India's space agency, Isro, has achieved a significant milestone by successfully conducting a space docking for the first time, bringing together two small spacecraft in space. This technological feat is crucial for India's future plans of establishing its own space station and sending a human to the Moon.

Credit: ISRO

The groundbreaking mission, named SpaDeX, took off from the Sriharikota launch pad in southern India on 30 December. The two spacecraft, Chaser (SDX01) and Target (SDX02), were launched together on a single rocket before separating in space. The docking process, initially set for 7 January, faced several reschedulings.

On Thursday morning, Isro proudly announced that India had become only the fourth country globally, after the United States, Russia, and China, to possess such advanced space docking technology. Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed the test at the Isro office in Bangalore, hailing it as a significant step for India's future space missions.

The two spacecraft, each weighing about 220kg, were carefully manoeuvred in space to create a distance of 10-20km between them before the docking process. Mila Mitra, a former Nasa scientist, explained that the spacecraft were launched together but separated with different velocities to allow for the necessary distance before mating during the docking.

Isro faced delays in the docking process, citing the need for additional testing and addressing a glitch that occurred during the initial attempts to bring the satellites closer. However, on Sunday, scientists successfully reduced the distance between the Chaser and the Target to just 3 metres, marking a significant achievement in space technology.

The next phase of the mission involves transferring electrical power from the Chaser to the Target, demonstrating the capability of servicing another spacecraft in space. The experiment will also include undocking and separating the two satellites, testing India's inter-satellite communication capabilities.

Additionally, the spacecraft are equipped with scientific instruments and cameras to measure radiation in space and monitor Earth's natural resources over the next two years. Isro's innovative approach includes using a part of the rocket that carried SpaDeX to conduct important experiments in orbit, showcasing their commitment to maximising resources.

One of the experiments, named Poem, has already demonstrated seed germination in space, with cowpea sprouts showing growth in micro-gravity conditions. This breakthrough opens possibilities for future astronauts to produce food during extended space missions. Another experiment involves a robotic arm, crucial for tasks like capturing space debris and aiding in future missions like Chandrayaan-4 to the Moon.

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• India's Isro successfully conducts historic space docking test

• Two small spacecraft, Chaser and Target, dock in space after delays

• Mission marks India as the fourth country with advanced space docking technology

Source: BBC