(Image source from: Twitter.com/narendramodi)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the historic achievement of the Indian Space Research Organization (Isro) for successfully demonstrating space connectivity with the SpaDeX mission. “Congratulations to @isro scientists and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of our satellite. This is an important step towards India's ambitious space mission,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted. For the next few years. ISRO's successful docking included two satellites, SDX01 and SDX02, which were launched by the PSLV-C60 rocket on December 30, 2024. After numerous attempts and careful maneuvers, the satellite was successfully placed into an orbit approximately 475 km above Earth. This success makes India the fourth country in the world to master this advanced technology after the USA, Russia and China.
Congratulations to our scientists at @isro and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites. It is a significant stepping stone for India’s ambitious space missions in the years to come.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 16, 2025
The connection process was carefully planned and carried out. Isro's presentation detailed how the satellite moved from 15 meters to a stopping point at about 3 meters altitude before the docking process began. After successfully capturing and stabilizing the spacecraft, ISRO confirmed that both satellites are functioning as a unit. This milestone is not just a technological triumph but an important step for India's future space endeavors. This connectivity technology will be crucial for future missions such as Gaganyaan, which aims to send Indian astronauts into space, and India's planned space station, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station. These missions require advanced capabilities for on-orbit operations, such as crew transfers and resupply missions. The success of the SpaDeX mission was widely applauded by scientists and space enthusiasts and cemented India's position as an emerging leader in space exploration.
