India’s space agency resumed efforts to bring the SpaDex satellites closer after an unexpected drift during a previous maneuver on Wednesday. Following the earlier attempt, the satellites moved nearly 5 km apart, prompting a fresh attempt to achieve docking.
On Friday, the satellites were orbiting 1.5 km apart. The agency stated that a further maneuver on Saturday aims to reduce this distance to 500 meters.
Controlled Approach for Docking
An official explained that the satellites will be brought to predefined hold points before attempting docking again. “The satellites drifted after the last maneuver but remained safe. We are reattempting the process by moving the Chaser satellite progressively closer to the Target satellite,” the official added.
The docking approach involves positioning the satellites at sequential distances of 5 km, 1.5 km, 500 m, 225 m, 15 m, and 3 m before final docking.
Due to missed schedules on January 7 and 9, the agency has adopted a “dock and inform” policy for future updates.
A Milestone for India’s Space Ambitions
Successful docking would make India the fourth country, after the US, Russia, and China, to demonstrate this capability. This advancement is crucial for India’s space goals, including the Bharatiya Antariksh Station planned for 2035 and human missions to the Moon by 2040.
The docking capability will also play a key role in the Chandrayaan-4 mission. The mission’s re-entry module, designed to withstand Earth’s atmospheric heat, will dock with a transfer module bringing samples from the Moon in Earth’s orbit.
Upcoming Milestones
The Bharatiya Antariksh Station will be built by assembling five modules, with the first set to launch in 2028. These developments mark significant steps toward India’s evolving space program and international ambitions.
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