Blitz Bureau
INDIA has reached a major milestone in space exploration, becoming the fourth nation to successfully perform space docking using its indigenously developed ‘Bharatiya Docking System’, after the successful launch of ISRO’s SpaDeX mission on December 30.
In a post on X, Union Minister Jitendra Singh praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for laying the foundation for a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India). “A humble tribute to PM @narendramodi’s mantra of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat,’ paving the way for a journey beyond the skies through ‘Gaganyaan’ and the ‘Bharatiya Antriksha Station,” Singh said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also congratulated ISRO on the achievement, calling it a groundbreaking step that brings India closer to becoming the fourth nation to master space docking technology.
In a post on X, Shah said,” Bharat paces to become the fourth nation to master space docking. Kudos to Team @isro on the successful launch of #SpaDeX Mission.”
The SpaDeX missionaims to achieve the challenging task of docking two satellites in space. This cost-effective technology demonstration will test and validate in-space docking capabilities using two small spacecraft, SDX01 and SDX02. These technologies are critical for future missions, including Chandrayaan-4, the Indian space station, and the manned Gaganyaan mission.
Following the successful launch of PSLV-C60, ISRO Chairman S Somanath emphasised the importance of space docking for the Chandrayaan-4 mission, highlighting that the final docking is expected around January 7, 2025.
“Chandrayaan-4 comprises five modules, which will be launched at different times and integrated into two separate modules. These modules need to dock both in Earth orbit and Moon orbit,” Somanath explained. “Docking is critical for the success of this mission, which aims to land on the Moon, return to Earth, and complete the journey successfully.”
Somanath celebrated ISRO’s 99th launch milestone, saying, “This is the 99th launch of a vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. We’re now preparing for the 100th launch early next year.” The PSLV-C60 mission successfully placed two SpaDeX satellites into a 475-kilometer circular orbit.
