Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 31 : Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman S Somanath stressed the importance of docking for the Chandrayaan-4 mission and confirmed that the final docking is expected to take place around January 7.
On Monday, ISRO successfully launched PSLV-C60 with the SpaDeX and other payloads from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
Somanath said, "Chandrayaan-4 has multiple modules, five in total, which will be launched at different times and integrated into two separate modules. These modules need to reach orbit and then dock both in Earth orbit and Moon orbit. Docking is essential for Chandrayaan-4. This mission aims to go to the Moon, land there, return to Earth, and complete the journey successfully."
He further added, "This is one of the proving grounds for Chandrayaan-4. Docking will begin tomorrow, and many processes will take place, but the final docking will likely happen by January 7."
Earlier, speaking to reporters, Somanath also celebrated ISRO's 99th launch, saying, "For us, this is the 99th launch of any launch vehicle from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre. It's a very significant milestone. We're preparing for the 100th launch at the start of next year. In this 99th launch, PSLV-C60 successfully placed two SpaDeX satellites weighing 220 kilograms into a circular orbit of 475 kilometres."
He further explained that SpaDeX will undergo various operations starting tomorrow, working towards its docking condition, with the final docking expected by January 7, 2025. "This is not the first SpaDeX; there will be more varieties, including demonstrations of bigger and more complex versions of docking systems in the coming days," he added.
Meanwhile, Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Science and Technology, also celebrated the success of the mission on social media. He wrote, "Privileged to be associated with the Department of Space at a time when Team #ISRO mesmerizes the world with global wonders, one after the other." Singh highlighted ISRO's growing global recognition and its achievements in space exploration.
Singh also noted, "India becomes the fourth country to join the select league of nations pursuing space docking, with its indigenously developed 'Bharatiya Docking System.' This is a humble tribute to PM Narendra Modi's mantra of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat,' heading towards a 'Viksit Bharat.' This achievement will pave the way for future projects like 'Gaganyaan' and the 'Bharatiya Antariksha Station.'"
The SpaDeX mission, ISRO's year-end project, is historic as it aims to achieve the rare feat of docking or merging two satellites in space. The project is a cost-effective technology demonstration mission for in-space docking using two small spacecraft launched by PSLV.
The primary objective of the SpaDeX mission is to develop and demonstrate the technology required for the rendezvous, docking, and undocking of two small spacecraft (SDX01, the Chaser, and SDX02, the Target) in low-Earth circular orbit. Docking technology is crucial for long-term missions like Chandrayaan-4, the planned Indian space station, and the eventual manned Gaganyaan mission.