Update: Post docking, control of two satellites as a single object is successful. Following undocking, the next steps include conducting power transfer checks. 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. The United States, Russia and China are the only other countries to have developed and tested the docking capability.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission, marking a significant milestone in India's space exploration capabilities. On January 16, 2025, ISRO announced that it successfully docked two satellites, designated SDX01 (the Chaser) and SDX02 (the Target), at an altitude of 475 kilometers above Earth. This achievement makes India the fourth country in the world to successfully perform spacecraft docking, following Russia, the USA, and China.

The SpaDeX mission was launched on December 30, 2024, using the PSLV C60 rocket. The docking process involved a series of precise manoeuvres where the Chaser satellite approached the Target satellite from an initial distance of 20 kilometers, gradually closing the gap to just 3 meters before docking. The entire process was described as complex and required careful planning and execution over several attempts due to earlier technical challenges that led to postponements initially scheduled for January 7 and 9.


During the docking sequence, ISRO utilized its indigenously developed Bhartiya Docking System (BDS), which is designed based on international standards but tailored for India's needs. The successful docking was characterized by a smooth manoeuvring process that included capturing the spacecraft and stabilizing them for further operations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated ISRO on this historic achievement, emphasizing its importance as a stepping stone for future missions such as Chandrayaan-4 and the planned Bharatiya Antariksha Station. The SpaDeX mission not only demonstrates India's growing capabilities in space technology but also sets the stage for more ambitious projects involving human spaceflight and satellite servicing in the future.

In summary, ISRO's successful docking of the SpaDeX satellites is a landmark achievement that showcases India's advancements in space technology and lays the groundwork for future exploration initiatives.

ISRO X Handle