ISRO’s SpaDeX mission: A rendezvous in the cosmos

 

ISRO chief S. Somanath expressed hope that many more Space Docking Experiments would be taken up by the scientists in the coming days

ISRO’s SpaDeX mission: A rendezvous in the cosmos

ISRO has culminated a year of significant accomplishments by initiating the nation's inaugural space docking mission, SpaDeX. On Monday, the organization’s dependable PSLV facilitated the launch of two satellites into the lower realms of Earth’s orbit. The two spacecraft, named "Chaser" and "Target," are set to navigate away in the forthcoming days with a sequence of meticulously planned maneuvers. Following this, ISRO scientists will endeavor to close the gap between the two vessels, ultimately facilitating their docking. The foremost space institution of India anticipates the entire operation will extend slightly beyond a week. The triumph of SpaDeX will elevate India into an exclusive cohort of nations possessing docking capabilities in space, currently comprising only the United States, Russia, and China. Docking is vital for missions that necessitate sizable spacecraft and apparatus that cannot be launched simultaneously — much like the International Space Station, for instance. SpaDeX is crucial for advancing India's aspirations in space, encompassing a crewed expedition to the Moon as well as the operation of the nation’s space station. Furthermore, it may pave the way for collaborations between India’s space research organization and global missions in need of docking infrastructure.

Over the past two years, ISRO has evolved from an agency that primarily launched satellites into orbit — mainly for communication, weather forecasting, and atmospheric studies — into a leading authority in planetary exploration. The deployment of Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-1 in 2023 was preceded last year by the establishment of the inaugural space observatory designed to investigate the polarization of cosmic X-rays. In September 2024, the Union Cabinet sanctioned the Venus Orbiter Mission aimed at examining various aspects of Venus, including its surface and atmosphere, as well as Chandrayaan-4, which plans to gather soil and rock samples from the Moon and return them to Earth. The nation is anticipated to make its initial attempt at sending humans into space next year, with the precursor missions for this historic venture set to be launched this year. The forthcoming era of Indian space exploration is expected to be distinctly different from recent undertakings, such as the Moon mission of 2023. For example, Chandrayaan-4 is designed with five components, which will be launched at diverse intervals and subsequently integrated into two distinct modules. Likewise, the Bharatiya Antariksha Station will consist of five modules that will be assembled in orbit — the first one is slated for launch in 2028. SpaDeX will establish the foundation for these future missions.

The payload launched on Monday also includes containers for various experiments, featuring a box holding eight cowpea seeds that, if everything proceeds as planned, will progress to a two-leaf stage in space. In recent times, ISRO has indicated that it possesses sufficient expertise to contribute to every facet of planetary research. As 2025 and beyond approach, a multitude of expeditions lies ahead for the agency.