India marked a major milestone in space technology on Thursday, becoming the fourth nation globally to achieve successful space docking. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) carried out the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) at 9 a.m. IST (0330 GMT), cementing the country’s growing prominence in the $400 billion global space market.
The experiment involved two ISRO satellites, Target and Chaser, which performed a series of complex orbital maneuvers to successfully dock and undock. Each satellite, roughly the size of a refrigerator, demonstrated indigenous technology critical for future space station assembly, satellite servicing, and interplanetary missions.
“India has ambitious missions planned, and this is an important technology we have to master. Missions like building a space station require assembly in space, which is not possible without docking,” explained astrophysicist Jayant Murthy.
Initially planned for earlier dates, the mission faced two postponements: first for ground validation of the docking process and later due to drift issues between the satellites. Despite these challenges, SpaDeX was successfully launched on December 30 using an Indian-made rocket from the country’s primary spaceport.
In addition to the docking achievement, SpaDeX carried out other pioneering experiments. It included sending eight cowpea seeds to space to study plant growth in microgravity conditions. Remarkably, the seeds germinated within four days of the mission’s launch. The mission also tested the transfer of electric power between docked spacecraft, a key capability for in-space robotics and shared spacecraft operations.
These technologies are crucial for missions requiring multiple rocket launches and shared objectives, paving the way for future advancements in composite spacecraft control and payload handling.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the SpaDeX mission as a "significant stepping stone" for India’s space ambitions. “This achievement underscores India’s commitment to becoming a global superpower in space exploration and commercialization,” Modi stated on X (formerly Twitter).
India’s growing focus on space includes ambitious projects like solar studies, orbital astronaut missions, and planetary defense initiatives, some in collaboration with NASA. ISRO also aims to empower private companies to commercialize space technologies.
Currently holding just a 2% share of the global commercial space market, India seeks to increase this to $44 billion by 2040, with projections of the market reaching $1 trillion by 2030.
The success of SpaDeX not only demonstrates India’s technological capabilities but also reinforces its position as a key player in shaping the future of space exploration.