Isro's space docking is key, whether successful or not

Valuable data to help future missions; at stake is a seat at the table with US, Russia, China

- Shouvik Das

While India's space agency has delayed its first effort to dock two small, experimental satellites, whose success is crucial for planning manned missions, experts say the trial run will generate vital data for such maneuvers in the future even if it is not fully successful.

On 30 December, Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) launched two satellites of 220 kilograms each—SDX01 'Chaser' and SDX02 'Target'—aboard its final mission of 2024 on the workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket. They were designed to move in a predetermined trajectory, before physically 'docking' or linking with each other on 7 January.

Isro, however, aborted the space docking experiment (Spadex) citing technical issues. A second docking move, scheduled for 9 January, was postponed too. An official statement from Isro on 12 January said, "A trial attempt to reach up to 15m and further to 3m (in proximity between the two satellites) is done. Moving back spacecrafts to (a) safe distance. The docking process will be done after analyzing data further. Stay tuned for updates."