What is the "SPADEX Mission," and why is this space mission significant for India?

By

On December 30, the eve of the year's end, India launched the "SPADEX Mission" from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore district at 10 PM IST.

The SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment) mission is for developing and demonstrating "docking" and "undocking" spacecraft technologies.


It involves advancing the technology needed to connect (dock) and disconnect (undock) two orbiting spacecraft in Earth's orbit.

Should it achieve success, India would join the esteemed group of countries that have mastered this vital and intricate technology, placing it alongside Russia, the United States, and China.

Significance of the Mission for India's Space Endeavors

Dr. S.P. Somanath, the Chairman of ISRO, articulated that the successful execution of SPADEX will have a profound impact on numerous forthcoming space projects within India.

According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, India's Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, this "historic" mission is ISRO's last outing for the year and meant for mastering the complex task of docking two artificial satellites together in space.

Experts say the "docking" and "undocking" capability will be necessary for India's aspirational space programs like lunar missions and sample return from outer space bodies. This will also help India's competitive position among the leading space technology countries.

How does the SPADEX Mission work?

The SPADEX mission uses two small spacecraft to demonstrate an affordable in-space docking technology.

When more than one spacecraft are used for the same mission, in-space docking technology is applied. This mission involves two small spacecraft, SDX01 and SDX02, each weighing about 220 kg.

These spacecrafts will be launched using PSLV-C60, short for Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.

Indian media reports that the production of these two satellites, along with its instruments, would cost about ₹125 crore, with an additional ₹250 crore for the launch vehicle.

How Does It Work?

ISRO elaborated that after a successful launch by PSLV-C60, the two satellites will orbit the Earth separately and together at an altitude of 470 km, inclination of 55°, with a local orbital period of about 66 days.

In this formation, SDX01 will act as the chaser satellite, while SDX02 will be the target satellite.

Initially, there will be a large distance between the chaser and target; however, this distance will reduce gradually and bring the two spacecraft closer to each other. At the agreed time, the docking operation will be performed.

After the successful docking and stabilization in the agreed orbit, the two spacecraft will permit the exchange of electrical energy between them. Afterward, the undocking process will begin.

Following this operation, the payloads of the twin satellites will start their missions, which will last for up to two years.

Payloads and Key Objectives


The payload of a spacecraft refers to the section designed for a specific mission objective. ISRO's Chairman explained to NDTV, "Docking is a process wherein two space objects are united and connected for a designated purpose. It involves various mechanisms such as soft docking, hard docking, or the use of pressurized compartments for human transfer."

For example, he cited the International Space Station, where crew modules dock to the station, maintaining pressure equilibrium to facilitate astronaut transfers.

Dr. Somanath emphasized the significance of mastering docking and undocking technologies for India’s long-term space aspirations, including missions like lunar landings, sample collection from celestial bodies, and establishing the Indian space station (BAS).

He also highlighted the challenges that were faced in the preparatory stage of the mission, particularly those involved in creating the microgravity conditions on Earth to conduct ground tests. Complex hardware and robotic test setups were used to overcome these issues.

Why is the SPADEX Mission Critical for India?


Space docking is a highly complex operation. The SPADEX mission provides India with an opportunity to acquire the skills in this cutting-edge technology.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the capability of space docking technology would put India on the same league as that of the United States, Russia, and China. 

It is one of the capabilities required not only for the long-term activities like the Gaganyaan Mission, Chandrayaan-4, and Indian space station operations but also for future activities like satellite servicing, refueling, and debris mitigation.

The Way Forward to Chandrayaan-4 and Beyond

India is now focusing on the Chandrayaan-4 mission, which plans to use rockets like the LVM-3 and PSLV to put two individual instruments on the lunar surface. These spacecrafts will land on the Moon, collect soil


and rock samples and then bring the materials back to Earth.

Explaining this, senior scientist T.V. Venkateswaran said this exercise would be essential in taking forward the next phase of extensive lunar exploration and in developing India's prowess in the field of space science.

The ₹2,104-crore allocation by the Centre for the Chandrayaan-4 mission makes it a very crucial forerunner to the country's aspiration of launching human expeditions to the Moon sometime in 2040.

Success in the SPADEX mission is vital in realizing these goals, hence positioning it as an important milestone for India in its future endeavors in exploring space.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Ram Setu: History, Literature, and Construction

By
Image
From the seashore to Lanka, a floating bridge made of stones was being planned. But no sooner the monkeys started throwing big stones in the sea than they began to dip into the water. Shri Hanuman then advised that the name "Ram" should be written on the stones. Surprisingly, as soon as the stones with Ram's name were thrown into the sea, they started floating rather than sinking. We have all read or seen this episode of the bridge construction from the Ramayana. But was it a simple case of the matter at hand, or was there a planned program of engineering behind it? The article is in two parts-while part one explains how the bridge building story comes out differently in different puranic traditions and the Ramayana, Ramkatha, part two deals with the description of the construction of the bridge by Valmiki’s Ramayana and the engineering and technological genius involved. -- Part One -- According to Valmiki’s Ramayana, when Lord Rama’s penance failed to elicit a response f...
Read more

How does woolen fabric keep the body warm?

By
Image
Although preferences in clothing vary, everyone wears thick clothes during winter. During this time, woolen fabrics are in the highest demand. Have you ever wondered how these fabrics keep our bodies warm? Throughout the day, we wear woolen clothes while moving about, and even at night, we rely on them. No, I’m not suggesting you sleep wearing a jacket! Rather, the blankets or quilts we use at night are usually made of wool. If you press these items, you’ll notice they compress easily. This happens because woolen fabrics trap a significant amount of air. You might wonder—what’s the connection between woolen fabric and air? There is a connection, but first, let’s understand how heat transfer works. Heat moves from one place to another in three ways: conduction, convection, and radiation. For the first two methods, a material must be in contact with a source of higher temperature to increase its own temperature. In the case of radiation, no medium is required. Heat energy transfers in th...
Read more

ChatGPT’s New Model Can Lie and Deceive for Self-Preservation – New Research

By
Image
An AI safety research group called Apollo Research has just published a study that reveals some really disturbing findings about ChatGPT's new model, O1. Instead of lying, it conceals/manipulates. More precisely, evidence from this research proves that it certainly is engaging in such behavior, and to say that ChatGPT can lie is probably a gross understatement when referring to this chatbot. Not only does it conceal evidence relating to what it did, but when confronted, it flat out denies it! Along with this development being a stride forward in this kind of AI research comes the following concerns and controversy. Apollo Research released the results of this study on December 5. The new ChatGPT model is still in the testing phase. OpenAI collaborated with Apollo Research, an AI safety organization, to carry out this testing. During the process, Apollo Research discovered that the new model began storing copies of itself on separate servers and transferring data elsewhere as part o...
Read more