India's Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch a space docking experiment (SpaDeX) on December 30th, testing autonomous docking technology crucial for future lunar missions and space station construction.
India will launch an ambitious space docking test flight on Monday (Dec. 30) that could set the stage for a future mission to the moon. It will launch the two small satellites of its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) atop a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle on Monday. Liftoff is set for 11:28 a.m. EST (9:58 p.m. IST, 1628 GMT) from ISRO 's Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The SpaDeX mission will launch two satellites, a Target and a Chaser, on a mission to test autonomous docking technology in orbit. But ISRO hopes to do more than just test automatic docking gear. The mission also includes a secondary payload module with 24 different experiments aboard, including a small robotic arm. Scientists hope to test the arm and other payloads after docking in a payload operations demonstration, and also test dual spacecraft control and power transfer between the docked spacecraft. The SpaDeX docking demonstration is expected to take place in early 2025 while the Target and Chaser spacecraft fly in290 miles (470 kilometers) above Earth. India is also planning a moon mission, which aims to return samples to Earth from the lunar south pole. A sample-return vehicle will have to dock in lunar orbit to transfer to sample to a return capsule. The ability to dock autonomously is also required for space station construction and operation
SPADEX India ISRO Space Docking Lunar Mission Robotics Technology
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