BENGALURU: India’s space agency ISRO has made history by successfully conducting its first-ever space docking, joining two small spacecraft in orbit. This landmark achievement is crucial for India’s ambitions to develop its own space station and eventually send humans to the Moon.
The mission, named SpaDeX, was launched from Sriharikota on December 30, with two spacecraft separated in space after being launched on a single rocket. Initially, the docking process was scheduled for January 7, but it was delayed multiple times before being successfully carried out.
On Thursday, ISRO scientists reported that they had successfully reduced the distance between the Chaser and the Target spacecraft to just 3 metres, allowing for a successful connection. The space agency stated that power transfer between the two spacecraft would take place in the coming days, and undocking will also occur as part of the ongoing testing phase.
This docking technology is a significant milestone for ISRO, as it is a key step towards the creation of India’s own space station and future crewed missions to the Moon. Space docking is an essential technology for assembling large structures in space and ensuring the safe transport of astronauts and supplies.
With this success, ISRO has demonstrated its growing capabilities in space exploration and opened doors for more ambitious projects, including potential international collaborations in the coming years.