India Successfully Completes Space Docking Mission, Joining Elite Group of Nations
On Thursday, India achieved a significant technological milestone by completing its first space docking mission, becoming the fourth country to demonstrate this capability. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) conducted the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) at approximately 9 a.m. IST. The mission involved two refrigerator-sized satellites, Target and Chaser, which performed precision maneuvers to connect and disconnect in orbit. The mission, launched on December 30, experienced two earlier postponements due to the need for additional ground simulation validation and issues with satellite drift. The successful demonstration included several secondary experiments, including a study of cowpea seed germination in microgravity conditions. A key feature of the mission was testing power transfer capabilities between docked spacecraft, which has applications in robotics and spacecraft control. Astrophysicist Jayant Murthy explained that this technology is essential for India's future space ambitions, particularly for space station […]
