SpaDeX Mission: ISRO says launch vehicle moved to First Launch Pad

This mission is intended to develop and demonstrate a technology needed to dock and undock spacecraft in space, apart from other things. “The launch vehicle has been integrated and now moved to the First Launch Pad, for further integration of satellites and launch preparations,” ISRO said in a post on the social media X.

SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of ‘in-space docking’ using two small spacecraft launched by PSLV, ISRO said in an explainer on the subject.

This technology is essential for India’s space ambitions such as Indian on Moon, sample return from the Moon, the building and operation of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), ISRO stated in an explainer.

In-space docking technology is essential when multiple rocket launches are required to achieve common mission objectives. Through this mission, India is marching towards becoming the fourth country in the world to have space docking technology, it added.

After the successful launch of the PSLV-C59/Probas-3 mission on December 9, ISRO chairman and secretary of the Department of Space, S Somanath said a similar mission was coming up with the launch of PSLV-C60 in December itself.

“It (The PSLV-C60 mission) is going to demonstrate the space docking experiment called SpaDex. The rocket is ready now and we are getting ready for the final stage of activities leading to the launch, possibly in December itself,” Somanath had said.

According to the ISRO, SpaDeX mission consists of two small spacecraft (about 220 kg each) to be launched by PSLV-C60, independently and simultaneously, into a 470 km circular orbit at 55 ° inclination, with a local time cycle of about 66 days.

SpaDeX mission was floated to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for rendezvous, docking, and undocking of two small spacecraft (SDX01, which is the Chaser, and SDX02, the Target, nominally) in a low-Earth circular orbit, the explainer added. PTI JR ADB