ISRO’s Historic Space Docking Trial: Satellites Close to 3 Meters.
The satellites are being moved back and forth to achieve what ISRO has described as an “exciting handshake” in space.
The Indian space agency announced this morning that two Indian satellites came within three meters of each other before moving apart in a trial for space docking. The satellites will move toward each other at a carefully controlled speed of 10 millimeters per second.
A trial run to reduce the distance to 15 meters and subsequently to 3 meters has been completed. The satellites are now being moved to a safe distance. The docking process will proceed after further data analysis,” the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) stated in its latest update on the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission.
SpaDeX Docking Update:
The SpaDeX satellites are maintaining their position at a 15-meter distance, capturing breathtaking photos and videos of one another! Docking is a highly intricate process, requiring the satellites to maneuver back and forth to achieve what ISRO has described as an “exciting handshake” in space. This achievement is being made possible through the use of the indigenously developed Bhartiya Docking System.
The SpaDeX mission, launched on December 30, involved the deployment of two satellites—SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target)—aboard the PSLV C60 rocket, placing them into a 475-kilometer circular orbit.
With this mission, India is on track to become the fourth nation to achieve this significant milestone, paving the way for future space ventures such as the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and Chandrayaan 4.
ISRO had twice postponed the historic docking of the two satellites, with its chief, Dr. S. Somnath, emphasizing that this was India’s first attempt at docking, a process that comes with its own unique challenges.
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The docking will take place only after all sensors have been fully calibrated and tested. Additionally, all algorithms and scenarios are rigorously tested on the ground before issuing commands for the spacecraft to autonomously execute the docking,” Dr. Somnath had stated earlier.
Once the two satellites are docked, they will be operated as a single spacecraft. To confirm the success of the docking, electrical power will be transferred between the satellites. The mission will be deemed successful once the satellites are undocked and resume functioning independently.
