Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
ISRO aims to dock two satellites moving at ten times the speed of a bullet—a feat only achieved by the US, Russia, and China so far.
The Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), developed over a decade in Bengaluru, marks India’s ambitious leap into space innovation.
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Two satellites will travel at 28,800 km/h before ISRO slows them to 0.036 km/h for docking—a precision marvel.
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Independent satellites, ‘Chaser’ and ‘Target,’ will be autonomously conjoined in near-Earth orbit, forming a single entity.
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ISRO’s patented Bhartiya Docking System meets NASA’s IDSS standards, using just two motors compared to IDSS’s 24.
Final assembly of the SpaDeX satellites was done by Ananth Technologies, a Bengaluru-based private firm started by ex-ISRO scientist Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri.
SpaDeX is critical for India’s moon ambitions, space station plans, and future manned missions under Gaganyaan.
India is set to become the fourth nation with autonomous space docking technology, showcasing cost-effective innovation.
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The mission’s success will pave the way for Chandrayaan-4, Bharatiya Antariksh Station, and an Indian on the moon.