The PSLV C60/SPADEX Mission, the Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) last 2024 mission, will take out on December 30. The Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota is set to launch at 9:58 p.m.
In order to demonstrate in-space docking with two tiny spacecraft, the space agency will try the Space Docking Experiment (SPADEX) mission for the first time. The goal of SPADEX, according to ISRO, is to create and showcase the technology required for spacecraft rendezvous, docking, and undocking from two tiny satellites. “SPADEX will serve as a milestone in advancing India’s capabilities in space docking, a critical technology for future space missions, including satellite servicing, space station operations, and interplanetary missions,” the space agency said.
Future projects like landing an Indian astronaut on the moon, returning samples from the moon, and constructing and running the Indian Space Station depend on this technology being demonstrated.
The two small spacecraft, Chaser and Target, also known as SDX01 and SDX02, will be launched independently by the PSLV-C60 into a 470-kilometer circular orbit at a 55-degree inclination. They each weigh roughly 220 kilogrammes. Fifteen minutes after launch, the SDX02 spacecraft will be the first to separate, followed by the SDX01 spacecraft a few seconds later.
“The demonstrated precision of the PSLV vehicle will be utilised to give a small relative velocity between the Target and Chaser spacecraft at the time of separation from the launch vehicle. This incremental velocity will allow the Target spacecraft to build a 10-20 km inter-satellite separation with respect to the Chaser within a day. At this point, the relative velocity between the Target will be compensated using the propulsion system of the Target spacecraft,” ISRO said. The Target and Chaser will be in the same orbit with the same velocity at the conclusion of this drift arrest manoeuvre, ISRO stated, but they will be separated by roughly 20 kilometres, a situation known as Far Rendezvous. “With a similar strategy of introducing and then compensating for a small relative velocity between the two spacecraft, the Chaser will approach the Target with progressively reduced inter-satellite distances of 5 km, 1.5 km, 500 m, 225 m, 15 m, and 3 m, ultimately leading to the docking of the two spacecraft,” it added.
It is anticipated that the docking will occur during the first week of January 2025. The PSLV-C60 SPADEX mission will carry 24 PS4-Orbital Experiment Module (POEM-4) payloads.
