• Hyderabad-based Ananth Technologies handed over two 400 kg class satellites to ISRO, which will be part of the Space Docking Experiment (SPADEX) planned by the space agency later this year.

• The satellites will be launched onboard the PSLV-C60 mission slated for a December launch and considered a stepping stone for future missions such as the Indian space station and Chandrayaan-4 mission that aims to bring lunar rock and soil samples back to Earth.

• The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket for the mission is also being built at a facility of Ananth Technologies Private Limited (ATL) in Thiruvananthapuram.

What is SPADEX?

• SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment) is one of ISRO’s most significant steps towards developing autonomous docking technology, crucial for India’s growing space ambitions.

• Docking systems allow two spacecraft to connect in orbit, enabling critical operations like assembling space stations, refuelling, or transferring astronauts and cargo. 

• SPADEX is key to achieving India’s long-term space exploration goals, including manned spaceflight, satellite maintenance, and space station construction.

• The mission involves two vehicles — chaser and target — coming together and connecting in space. It will also test how well the combined spacecraft maintains stability and control after docking, ensuring smooth operations for future missions.

• Once docked, the two spacecraft will later separate to perform additional tasks. This experiment is crucial for ISRO to develop the skills needed for advanced missions, such as human spaceflight and lunar sample returns. 

• Mastering these docking and rendezvous techniques is essential for the success of such ambitious operations.

History of space docking

• On October 30, 1967, the Soviet Union accomplished the first automatic docking in space.  Mastering docking was an essential step in the development of both their lunar landing effort and their space station plans. The two spacecraft, Kosmos 186 and 188, were unmanned variants of the Soyuz manned vehicle. This paved the way for later space exploration efforts, including long-term stays aboard space stations. 

• The United States followed this with the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975, which was the first international docking between NASA and the Soviet space agency, marking a new era of cooperation despite geopolitical tensions.

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