The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has further postponed the docking attempt for its ambitious Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) after detecting excess drift between the two mission satellites.
The Indian space agency stated that the issue arose during a manoeuvre to reduce the distance between the satellites to 225 meters, with the drift exceeding expectations after a non-visibility period.
This marks the second delay for the mission, which was initially scheduled for January 7 and rescheduled to January 9.
Isro has assured that both satellites involved in the experimentâSDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target)âare safe and functioning normally. A revised timeline for the docking attempt will be announced soon.
The SpaDeX mission, launched on December 30, 2024, aboard a PSLV C60 rocket, aims to demonstrate Indiaâs capability in space docking technology, a milestone achieved by only three other nations: the US, Russia, and China.