Riesensprung für Indien: ISRO startet erfolgreich Weltraum-Docking-Mission „SpaDeX“

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) marked the end of the year with the successful launch of its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission on December 30, 2024. If successful, this mission will make India the fourth country to demonstrate the complex manoeuvre of docking two spacecraft in orbit.

Docking — the process of connecting two spacecraft without external assistance — is a critical capability for advancing India’s space ambitions. These include plans to send an Indian astronaut to the Moon, conduct sample return missions from it and establish the Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035, a project approved by the Cabinet in September 2024.