Why has ISRO delayed ambitious SpaDeX mission for 2nd time?

The ambitious space docking experiment has been deferred twice: from January 7 to January 9, and then on January 9 eve.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) delayed for the second time the launch of its ambitious SpaDeX mission, which was originally scheduled to be launched on December 30.

The SpaDeX mission was launched on December 30.

Giving an update on the status of the mission, ISRO on Thursday said the drift which forced the national space agency to postpone the ambitious space docking experiment under the SpaDeX mission has been arrested.

“The drift has been arrested and spacecrafts put in a slow drift course to move closer to each other. By tomorrow, it is expected to reach initialisation conditions,” ISRO wrote in a post on X on Thursday evening.

Why ISRO delayed SpaDeX launch twice?

The SpaDeX mission was launched on December 30 last year and the docking was scheduled for January 7. However, the experiment was postponed to the morning of January 9 and deferred again on the rescheduled date.

ISRO notified the second deferment on the eve of the rescheduled date.

“While making a maneuver to reach 225 m between satellites the drift was found to be more than expected, post non-visibility period. The planned docking for tomorrow is postponed. Satellites are safe. Stay tuned for updates,” the Bengaluru-headquartered space agency posted on X.

SpaDeX is a cost-effective technology mission for the demonstration of in-space docking with two small spacecraft. The primary objective is to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for the rendezvous, docking, and undocking of two small spacecraft, which have been named “SDX01” (Chaser) and “SDX02” (Target).

Union minister Jitendra Singh last week said the SpaDeX mission was named "Bharatiya Docking Technology" as it is purely an indigenous mission, and India is carrying out the first such experiment related to docking technology.

Singh, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Earth Sciences also stated that SpaDeX "very much aligns with Prime Minister Modi's vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”

(With inputs from ANI )