ISRO PSLV C51
Credits: ISRO
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After successfully inserting Aditya-L1 into a halo orbit at Lagrange Point 1 in January this year, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) ended 2024 with another remarkable milestone as it successfully launched the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission aboard the trusted Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60) on Monday from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. With this launch, India became the fourth country in the world to have space docking technology, joining the ranks of the United States, Russia, and China. Notably, this is ISRO’s last mission of 2024.

ISRO launched two spacecraft, each weighing around 220kg – SDX01 (Spacecraft A aka ‘Chaser’) and SDX02 (Spacecraft B aka ‘Target’) – on the PSLV rocket. The spacecraft has been placed in an orbit maintaining a 5 km distance from each other. Over the next 10-14 days, scientists at ISRO will work to gradually bring the two spacecraft closer to within 3 meters, ultimately achieving docking at an altitude of approximately 470 km above Earth. The docking system moves slowly at 10 mm/s and uses identical systems on both spacecraft. It is smaller than the standard IDSS (International Docking System Standard) system, with only two motors and a 450 mm size.

As part of the SpaDeX mission, Spacecraft A is equipped with a High-Resolution Camera, while Spacecraft B carries a Miniature Multispectral Payload and a Radiation Monitor. These payloads are designed to deliver high-resolution images, monitor natural resources, study vegetation, and support various other scientific objectives. India’s space docking mission – SpaDeX – aims to showcase autonomous rendezvous, docking, and undocking capabilities, critical for future space missions.

In addition to SpaDeX, PSLV-C60 carried 24 innovative payloads under the PS4-Orbital Experiment Module (POEM-4). The payloads – 14 from ISRO/DOS centers and 10 from non-government entities like startups and universities via IN-SPACe – included groundbreaking experiments in fields like space agriculture, materials science, and communication technologies. In a significant achievement, the PSLV-C60 is the first rocket to be assembled up to the fourth stage at the recently set up PSLV Integration Facility.

Interestingly, the mission has launched with a biological payload also for the first time on orbit. As part of this pioneering experiment, scientists have sent ‘Spinacia Oleracea’ – commonly known as spinach – into space to explore its potential for food and nutrition in future space missions.

Importantly, SpaDeX is set to play a pivotal role in preparing for upcoming lunar missions, including Chandrayaan-4, by providing critical data on autonomous docking in space without relying on Earth-based GNSS systems. In addition, this will support the development of Bharatiya Antariksh Station – India’s own space station.

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