ISRO's Spadex Docking Mission Postponed to January 9, 2025

ISRO has rescheduled the Spadex docking mission to January 9, 2025, without citing specific reasons. Titled 'Bharatiya Docking Technology', this mission is aligned with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. It aims to demonstrate indigenous in-space docking technology between two small satellites in a Low-Earth orbit.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has rescheduled the docking of its Spadex mission, now set for January 9, 2025, rather than the initial January 7, 2025 timeline. ISRO has not disclosed precise reasons for the adjustment, leaving the public in anticipation. They did, however, assure that further details, including timing, would be communicated subsequently.

ISRO expressed regret for any inconvenience caused by the postponement but offered no further clarifications on the cause of the scheduling shift. Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh emphasized last week that the mission, dubbed 'Bharatiya Docking Technology,' underlines India's first indigenous effort in docking technology experimentation and reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

In a landmark achievement on December 30, ISRO successfully launched the PSLV-C60 carrying the SpaDeX mission. The mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator aimed at showcasing in-space docking capabilities. It involves two small spacecraft, SDX01 and SDX02, performing rendezvous, docking, and undocking in Low-Earth orbit.

(With inputs from agencies.)