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ISRO Achieves Historic Space Docking Milestone, Joins Elite Global Club

India becomes the fourth country to master space docking technology as ISRO achieves historic space docking, joining the US, Russia, and China.

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By minal
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ISRO Achieves Historic Space Docking Milestone, Joins Elite Global Club

ISRO Achieves Historic Space Docking Milestone, Joins Elite Global Club

In a groundbreaking development, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully executed its first space docking experiment (SpaDeX) on January 16, 2025. This achievement makes India the fourth country, after the US, Russia, and China, to master this complex technology.

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The docking experiment involved two satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), launched on December 30, 2024, aboard the PSLV C60. These satellites, weighing 220 kg each, were maneuvered to dock at a precise distance of 3 meters. The Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC) oversaw the entire process.

ISRO announced on X:

Docking Success Spacecraft docking successfully completed! A historic moment. Let’s walk through the SpaDeX docking process: Manoeuvre from 15m to 3m hold point completed. Docking initiated with precision, leading to successful spacecraft capture. Retraction completed smoothly, followed by rigidisation for stability. Docking successfully completed. India became the 4th country to achieve successful Space Docking. Congratulations to the entire team! Congratulations to India!

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Docking is a critical technology for advanced space missions. It involves bringing two fast-moving spacecraft into the same orbit, aligning them, and joining them together. This capability is essential for assembling space stations, transferring crew and supplies, and conducting complex missions like lunar sample returns.

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For India, this milestone is a step closer to realizing its ambitious space goals. ISRO aims to establish the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035 and send humans to the Moon by 2040. Both missions will rely heavily on docking technology.

Union Science Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh celebrated the achievement, stating:

Spadex has accomplished the unbelievable … and it is all (using the) indigenous Bharatiya Docking System. This paves the way for smooth conduct of ambitious future missions including the Bharatiya Antriksha Station, Chandrayaan 4, and Gaganyaan.

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The SpaDeX mission involved a series of precise maneuvers. The Chaser satellite was brought closer to the Target satellite in stages, pausing at intervals of 5 km, 1.5 km, 500 m, 225 m, 15 m, and finally 3 m. Once aligned, the docking rings extended, locked, and retracted to form a stable connection.

Post-docking, ISRO successfully controlled the two satellites as a single unit. Upcoming steps include undocking and power-sharing tests.

This successful docking experiment is just the beginning. It lays the groundwork for future missions, including:

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  • Bharatiya Antariksh Station (2035): A modular space station built in orbit.
  • Chandrayaan-4 (2030s): A lunar sample return mission involving multiple docked modules.
  • Gaganyaan: India’s first human spaceflight program, requiring docking for crew transfers.

ISRO has also introduced the Bharatiya Docking System, an innovative mechanism with fewer motors than international standards, demonstrating efficiency and precision.

India now joins an exclusive group of nations with docking expertise:

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  • USA (1966): NASA’s Gemini VIII was the first to dock with a target vehicle.
  • Russia (1967): Achieved the first automated docking with Kosmos 186 and 188.
  • China (2011): Demonstrated docking with Tiangong-1, followed by a crewed mission in 2012.

India’s first space docking experiment is a testament to ISRO’s growing technological capabilities and vision for the future. With this achievement, India is well on its way to becoming a major player in global space exploration.

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