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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today confirmed the successful undocking of its Space Docking Experiment, SpaDex. Launched on December 30, 2024, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, the mission was a major milestone in India’s increasing capabilities in space technology.
The test consisted of two satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), which were docked on January 16 and then undocked as scheduled. The undocking was a success and is regarded as a milestone in achieving space docking technology.
ISRO explains technical details and sequence of events
ISRO explained the sequence that resulted in the undocking in a detailed post on X, previously Twitter. The sequence was started by an extension of the SDX-2, which in turn was succeeded by the intended release of the Capture Lever 3.
Spadex Undocking Successful! 🚀
Advertisement · Scroll to continueKey sequence of events:
✅ SDX-2 extension successful
✅ Capture Lever 3 released as planned
✅ Capture Lever in SDX-2 disengaged
✅ Decapture command issued in SDX-1 & SDX-2🎉 FINALLY, SUCCESSFUL UNDOCKING!
Congratulations, Team ISRO! 🇮🇳…
— ISRO (@isro) March 13, 2025
The disengagement of the capture lever from the SDX-2 succeeded and was finally concluded by releasing the de-capture command to the satellites. The precise sequence highlights the precision and innovative approach behind the SpaDex space mission, where a cheap test with two micro spacecraft has been done through PSLV-launched satellites.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh congratulates ISRO team
Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh turned to X to congratulate the ISRO team, saying, “Congrats, team ISRO. And heartening for every Indian! SPADEX Satellites accomplished the unbelievable De-Docking.”
He also added that the success opens the doors to ambitious future missions like Chandrayaan-4, the Bharatiya Antriksha Station, and Gaganyaan. The minister also acknowledged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continuous support, which has played a vital role in inspiring and propelling these scientific endeavors.
Congrats team #ISRO. And heartening for every Indian 🇮🇳 !#SPADEX Satellites accomplished the unbelievable De-Docking… This paves the way for smooth conduct of ambitious future missions including the Bharatiya Antriksha Station, Chandrayaan 4 & Gaganyaan. PM Sh @narendramodi’s…
— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) March 13, 2025
Prospects and global significance
ISRO chairman V Narayanan revealed that further experiments with the space docking technology are scheduled to commence from March 15. Currently, the unified satellite remains in an elliptical orbit, offering a 10-15 day window every two months for conducting additional experiments.
With this successful undocking, India joins the list of the world’s fourth nation to achieve space docking technology, alongside the United States, Russia, and China. The SpaDex mission is not only an indicator of India’s developing capabilities but also provides a cost-saving model for upcoming space missions.
