CNN reported that on December 30, India carried out its first space docking mission using a domestically produced rocket, becoming the fourth country to achieve this advanced technological achievement (previously only Russia, the US and China).
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60) rocket of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully placed two small satellites SDX01 (Target) and SDX02 (Chaser) into orbit about 470 km above the Earth, under the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission.
The test was conducted at the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Andhra Pradesh, India, at 4:30 p.m. local time, the project manager said. The PSLV-C60 completed its mission successfully about 15 minutes after takeoff.
The SpaDeX mission is an opportunity for Indian scientists to test space docking technology, which is considered key for missions that require multiple launches or coordination between spacecraft in space.
Thanks to the docking technology, the ability to transfer energy between the coupled devices of the two satellites SDX01 and SDX02 was successfully tested during the SpaDeX mission.
In the future, this technology can be applied to space robot development, hybrid spacecraft control and payload operation after separation and docking.
In addition, imaging systems and radiation sensors were also used in the December 30 test to collect and provide data for manned space missions.
Not only that, the SpaDeX mission also converts the last stage of the PSLV rocket into an unmanned orbital laboratory, supporting India's space research. Normally, the fourth stage of a rocket cannot be reused and will become space junk.
Astrophysicist Somak Raychaudhary said that the SpaDeX mission not only enhances India's position on the space map but also opens up many new opportunities for international cooperation, especially in the field of satellite launching and space-based structure assembly.
