ISRO's Rendezvous, Space docking and Berthing Experiment

[TopWatcher]

View: https://x.com/isro/status/1880277647391137947

Finally we hv videop

 

[Miss Firing]

 

[FalconSlayers]

View: https://x.com/ISROSight/status/1881342116988682372

 

[Varoon4]

Does undocking still look hopeful? Is there an issue with the solar power to the satellites i.e that they may have to wait until March for favourable conditions?

 

[VictorDelta4]

 

[SKC]

View attachment 24318

Less power due to smaller solar panels? or due to being not directly in line of Sunlight?
Anyway, these missions are done to test these things only. Still a long way to go.

 

[Varoon4]

Mooched this from another space website Encouraging news about resumption of Spadex activity, with undocking planned on or close to March 15th.

ISRO to resume SpaDeX experiments from March 15: V Narayanan

ISRO will resume experiments on the SpaDeX mission in mid-March to further develop space docking technologies. After successfully docking two satellites in January, they plan to separate and re-dock them, along with other tests. These experiments are crucial for future projects like...

economictimes.indiatimes.com

 

[SKC]

SPADEX UNDOCKING SUCCESSFUL

Source: https://www.isro.gov.in/spadex_undocking_successful.html

The SPADEX satellites were successfully docked on January, 16 2025. ISRO has now accomplished the pivotal operation of undocking of SPADEX satellites in the very first attempt on 13th March, 2025 at ~09:20 Hrs. The undocking of the satellites took place in 460 km circular orbit with 45-degree inclination. The satellites are now orbiting independently and their health is normal. With this, ISRO has now successfully demonstrated all the capabilities required for rendezvous, docking and undocking operations in a circular orbit.

The in-orbit performance of the docked satellites was extensively analysed and an immediate opportunity was found to be feasible from March 10, 2025 till March 25, 2025. The entire operations were monitored through ground stations located at Bengaluru, Lucknow and Mauritius.

Having accomplished this major mile stone of undocking, further experiments with satellites are planned in the coming days.

Exhaustive ground simulations and analysis were the cornerstone of achieving the undocking in the first attempt itself. Various tests replicating on-orbit conditions were meticulously planned and carried out in preparation for the earliest opportunity for undocking operations.

ISRO has now successfully demonstrated space docking technology using two small satellites. It is a cost-effective experiment through which, India has achieved space rendezvous, docking and post docking control technologies.

Video:
1.
https://www.isro.gov.in/media_isro/video/SD1_Undocking_01.webm

2.
https://www.isro.gov.in/media_isro/video/SD2_Undocking_02.webm

 

[SKC]

Undocking video:


View: https://www.reddit.com/r/ISRO/comments/1ja7mny/spadex_undocking_footage_pov_from_target_sat/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

 

[SKC]

View: https://x.com/isro/status/1900100280345321521