New video: How Isro docked two SpaDex satellites in space

Isro published a video on Friday showing the successful docking of satellites as part of its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), making India the fourth country after the United States, Russia, and China to achieve the technological feat.

The video demonstrated the connection of satellites in orbit. It was followed by a greeting from new Isro Chairperson V Narayanan to the space agency personnel, which ensured the event’s success.

“Isro successfully completed docking of two SPADEX satellites (SDX-01 & SDX-02) in the early hours of January 16, 2025,” the space agency said in the caption for the video it released on ‘X’.

ISRO successfully completed docking of two SPADEX satellites (SDX-01 & SDX-02) in the early hours of 16 January, 2025.#SPADEX #ISRO pic.twitter.com/UJrWpMLxmh

— ISRO (@isro) January 17, 2025

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In space, docking technology is essential when multiple rocket launches are required to achieve common mission objectives.  The docking experiment is crucial for the smooth conduct of the country’s ambitious future missions, including Chandrayaan-4, Gaganyaan, setting up a space station and landing an astronaut on the moon.  Isro has also said that the undocking and power transfer checks will follow in coming days.

Last October, the government announced that India will have its own Space Station by 2035, known as the “Bharatiya Antriksh Station”.