On Thursday, India achieved a major milestone in space exploration, becoming the fourth country to successfully complete an unmanned spacecraft docking. This achievement positions India as a significant player in the global space race, alongside the United States, Russia, and China, who are the only other nations to have developed this capability.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) announced the success of its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDex) mission, which involved two small spacecraft, Target and Chaser, each weighing around 220 kilograms. These spacecraft, launched on December 30 from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Andhra Pradesh, conducted a rendezvous in low-earth orbit before docking together on January 12.
Minister for Space Jitendra Singh praised the mission, calling it a “new era in space exploration” that demonstrates India’s technological capabilities. Docking technology is vital for future missions, including satellite servicing, space station operations, and multi-launch objectives. It is also crucial for advancing India’s plans to put a national astronaut on the moon and establish a homegrown space station.
As part of the SpaDex mission, the docked spacecraft successfully demonstrated the transfer of electrical power, which is essential for future in-space robotics, spacecraft control, and payload operations. Despite some technical delays, the mission was completed successfully, further cementing India’s place as a global space leader.
India’s space ambitions have expanded significantly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, with plans to launch its first crewed mission and build its own space station by 2035. The country also aims to send astronauts to the moon by 2040 and continue its lunar exploration through the Chandrayaan program.
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