ISRO’s year-end mission to seek two satellites’ merger in Space: Dr Jitendra

STATE TIMES NEWS

NEW DELHI: Union Minister, Dr Jitendra Singh informed here on Saturday that (Indian Space Research Organisation) ISRO’s year-end mission scheduled for 30th December is going to be a historic one as it will seek the rare feat of docking or merging or joining together two satellites in Space. The project has been named “Space Docking Experiment” (SpaDeX), he said.

The whole nation looks forward with bated breath as ISRO is set to achieve a significant milestone in Space technology, said the Minister in the Department of Space.
In an exclusive media interview, Dr Jitendra Singh elaborated that the upcoming SpaDeX mission aims to dock two satellites in Space, a challenge only mastered by a few countries. This ambitious project will take place on December 30, 2024, under the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) and the indigenous technology used for this mission is called the “Bharatiya Docking System”.
“SpaDEX” will mark a milestone, showcasing India’s expertise in spacecraft docking technology.
This mission, said Dr Jitendra Singh, will mark India’s entry into the exclusive league of nations capable of mastering space docking. A unique approach, the PSLV rocket, will launch two satellites equipped with the ‘Bhartiya Docking System’ to demonstrate this complex feat, he added.
In the near vacuum of Space, the handout said, ISRO will attempt to dock two satellites orbiting at speeds of 28,800 km/h. This is a challenging task, as both satellites must be carefully manoeuvred to reduce their relative velocities to a mere 0.036 km/h. The two satellites, designated ‘Chaser’ and ‘Target’, will merge to form a single unit in Space.
ISRO’s achievement will place India among the world’s space leaders, marking a step towards greater space exploration and innovation. SpaDeX is a significant milestone that paves the way for more complex space missions in the coming years. ISRO’s SpaDEX mission is set to launch on Dec 30, 2024, will demonstrate India’s Spacecraft Docking technology, marking a crucial step in space exploration and satellite servicing capabilities.
SpaDEX will deploy two identical satellites, SDX01 and SDX02. Each satellite weighs around 220 kilograms and will orbit 470 km above Earth. Key objectives include Performing precision rendezvous and docking manoeuvres, Validating power transfer between docked spacecraft and Operating payloads post-undocking, with a two-year lifespan.
This mission is essential for future endeavours, including satellite servicing and building India’s space station, Bharatiya Antriksh Station.
SpaDEX will also use PSLV’s fourth stage, POEM-4, for experiments. The stage will carry 24 payloads from academic institutions and startups. These experiments will utilise the microgravity environment in orbit.
SpaDEX will demonstrate docking and undocking capabilities between satellites. This includes transferring power and operating scientific payloads. The mission will simulate a sequence of manoeuvres, starting with a far rendezvous phase at 20 km and ending with docking at 3 metres.
This capability is vital for India’s lunar and interplanetary missions. Docking technology enables multi-launch missions and supports future human spaceflight. Only the US, Russia, and China have mastered such advancements so far.