Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on the successful launch of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) Mission, marking a significant achievement in India’s space program.
In a post on social media platform X, Shah wrote:
“Bharat paces to become the fourth nation to master space docking. Kudos to Team @isro on the successful launch of #SpaDeX Mission. This is a grand success that opens a new path for Bharat in space docking technology and strengthens its role as a global leader in space. All my best wishes to our geniuses for the journey ahead.”
About the SpaDeX Mission
The SpaDeX Mission, launched on Monday from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, aboard the PSLV-C60, represents a significant technological milestone. This mission is a technology demonstrator aimed at mastering the rendezvous, docking, and undocking of two small spacecraft in low-Earth orbit.
- Key Details:
- Objective: Demonstrate in-space docking using two small spacecraft:
- SDX01 (Chaser)
- SDX02 (Target)
- Technology: Developed using indigenous systems named the Bharatiya Docking System.
- Objective: Demonstrate in-space docking using two small spacecraft:
Docking technology has been successfully achieved by only a handful of countries, including the United States, Russia, and China.
Significance of Docking Technology
Union Minister for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, emphasized the critical importance of the SpaDeX Mission:
- It is essential for long-term projects such as Chandrayaan-4 and India’s space station program.
- It also plays a pivotal role in the manned Gaganyaan mission, which will require spacecraft docking capabilities for crewed operations in orbit.
India’s Growing Space Aspirations
ISRO’s SpaDeX Mission exemplifies the country’s ambitions to cement its role as a global space leader. The success of this mission is a vital step forward in developing advanced space technologies and preparing for future complex space missions.
With this achievement, India moves closer to becoming the fourth nation in the world to master space docking, further establishing its credentials in the global space arena.