{"id":39325,"date":"2025-03-18T18:30:17","date_gmt":"2025-03-18T13:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=39325"},"modified":"2025-03-18T18:30:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-18T13:00:18","slug":"isro-undocks-spadex-satellites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/18-03-2025\/isro-undocks-spadex-satellites","title":{"rendered":"ISRO Undocks SpaDeX Satellites\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Syllabus: GS3\/ Space<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In News<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Nearly two months after ISRO successfully docked two satellites in space, it carried out an undocking procedure recently.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    More About the News<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    • This makes India the fourth country after the US, Russia, and China <\/strong>to demonstrate space docking and undocking capabilities.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • To demonstrate this capability, ISRO launched the experimental Spadex mission on December 30, 2024<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      What is Space Docking?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      • Space docking is the process of bringing two fast-moving spacecraft into the same orbit<\/strong>, gradually bringing them closer, and physically joining them together.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • This is a highly complex maneuver requiring precise navigation<\/strong>, automated control, and real-time adjustments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Why is this Important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Enabling Heavy Space Missions:<\/strong> Large spacecraft cannot be launched in one go due to weight limitations.\n
            \n
          • Docking allows modular spacecraft assembly in orbit, similar to the International Space Station (ISS).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Critical for Future Human Spaceflight:<\/strong> Essential for transporting astronauts & supplies to India\u2019s planned space station by 2035.\n
              \n
            • Key to India\u2019s crewed lunar missions (by 2040) under Gaganyaan & future Moon missions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Supports Lunar Sample Return Missions: <\/strong>Chandrayaan-4, India\u2019s future mission to bring back lunar soil and rock samples, will rely on docking technology.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Advancing In-Space Servicing & Robotics: <\/strong>Enables repairing, upgrading, and refueling satellites in orbit without launching new ones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              About India\u2019s Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              • Objective:<\/strong> To demonstrate in-space docking, rendezvous, and undocking capabilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Satellites Used:<\/strong>\n
                  \n
                • SDX01 (Chaser Satellite)<\/strong>: Actively approached and docked with the target.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • SDX02 (Target Satellite):<\/strong> Served as the docking module.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Launch Vehicle: <\/strong>PSLV-C60<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Orbit: <\/strong>470 km circular orbit<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Developed by: <\/strong>UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru, with support from other ISRO centers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                  Post-Docking Applications<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                    \n
                  • High-Resolution Imaging (SDX01):<\/strong> Capturing Earth observation images.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Multi-Spectral Payload (SDX02):<\/strong>Monitoring natural resources and vegetation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Radiation Monitoring (SDX02):<\/strong> Studying space radiation to support future human space missions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    Source: IE<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    Nearly two months after ISRO successfully docked two satellites in space, it carried out an undocking procedure recently.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39325","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39325"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39325\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39326,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39325\/revisions\/39326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39325"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39325"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39325"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}