ISRO’s SpaDeX success strengthens India’s path to Chandrayaan-4 and human spaceflight

India has reached a significant milestone in space technology by successfully de-docking its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) satellites, marking a major step in future space exploration. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) announced the completion of the complex manoeuvre on Thursday, highlighting India's growing expertise in spacecraft docking and separation.   

Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Mr. Jitendra Singh, praised the ISRO team, calling the mission’s success "heartening for every Indian." He noted that this achievement paves the way for ambitious projects like the Bharatiya Antariksha Station, Chandrayaan-4, and Gaganyaan while crediting Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s support for boosting the scientific community. The de-docking process, involving meticulous operations, led to the separation of SDX-01 (Chaser) and SDX-02 (Target) satellites, launched on December 30, 2024, aboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C60 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The successful docking on January 16, 2025, made India the fourth nation after China, Russia, and the United States to demonstrate this technology. Developed by the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) with support from multiple ISRO centres, SpaDeX showcases India's advancements in spacecraft rendezvous, docking, and undocking—key for satellite servicing, space station operations, and interplanetary missions, including human spaceflight and lunar sample returns. 

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