The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has provided a significant update regarding its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission. As of January 11, 2025, the two SpaDeX satellites—designated SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target)—are currently positioned at an Inter Satellite Distance (ISD) of 230 meters. ISRO has confirmed that all sensors are under evaluation and that the health of both spacecraft is normal.

Current Status of The SpaDeX Mission

Distance Achieved: The satellites have successfully reduced their distance from an initial 1.5 kilometers to 230 meters.

Health Monitoring: ISRO reported that the health of the spacecraft is stable, with ongoing evaluations of all onboard sensors.

Previous Delays: The docking attempts had faced multiple postponements due to technical challenges. Originally scheduled for January 7, the first attempt was delayed to January 9, and subsequently, further adjustments were made to ensure safe manoeuvring and docking conditions.

Mission Objectives

The SpaDeX mission aims to demonstrate critical technologies for spacecraft rendezvous and docking, which are essential for future space missions, including:

Satellite servicing
Space station operations
Interplanetary missions

This mission is particularly significant as it positions India among an exclusive group of countries—alongside the United States, Russia, and China—that have developed autonomous docking technology in space.

While ISRO has not yet specified a new timeline for the docking attempt, they continue to monitor the situation closely. The next phases will involve progressively bringing the Chaser satellite closer to the Target satellite through a series of controlled maneuvers.

The successful completion of this mission will mark a milestone in India's space capabilities and contribute to its ambitions for future lunar and interplanetary exploration initiatives.

ISRO X Handle