
India achieved a historic milestone in its aerospace technological innovation on Thursday, becoming the fourth country to successfully complete a space docking operation.
This achievement comes as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) docked two satellites in space.
This technological feat showcases the South-Asian nation’s ambitions to expand its share in the rapidly growing global space market, valued at $400 billion.
Fourth country to complete a space docking operation
The ISRO carried out the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) at around 9am IST, manoeuvring two satellites, Target and Chaser, back together in a precise process.
The satellites, weighing 220 kilograms each, were launched in December on a single rocket from India's Sriharikota launch site and separated before reuniting on Thursday.
This achievement marks a significant stepping stone for India's space programme, which aims to develop and demonstrate technologies essential for spacecraft docking and undocking.
Notably, earlier two docking attempts were postponed due to technical issues, firstly because the docking process needed further validation and later because of an issue arising from excess drift between the satellites.
According to the Indian space company, the successful docking operation is a crucial accomplishment for the country’s plans to establish a space station and send a manned mission to the Moon by 2040.
India has joined an elite club of nations, including Russia, China, and the United States that have achieved space docking capabilities.
Moreover, the country's space programme has grown significantly over the past decade, achieving notable milestones, such as landing an unmanned craft on the Moon in August 2023 and becoming the fourth nation to land an unmanned craft on the Moon.