ISRO's unveils schedule for SpaDEX mission

ISRO Chairman S. Somanath recently announced the schedule for India's upcoming Space Docking Experiment (SpaDEX) mission. Launch Date: The mission is scheduled to launch in December 2024.

Launch Vehicle:

 The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60) will carry the SpaDEX payload. Mission Objective: SpaDEX aims to demonstrate advanced docking technologies, including autonomous docking, orbital rendezvous, and formation flying.

Satellites: 

The mission involves two 400-kg satellites named "Chaser" and "Target". These satellites will perform a highly coordinated rendezvous and docking at an altitude of 700 kilometers

Significance: 

This mission is crucial for future crewed missions, satellite servicing, and assembling large structures in orbit. Future Plans: The success of SpaDEX will position India alongside the US, Russia, and China as one of the few countries with space docking capabilities.

It will also support ISRO's future missions, including Chandrayaan-4 and the proposed Bharatiya Antariksha Station.