The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully completed the second satellite docking under its SPADEX mission on Monday, marking a significant achievement in the country’s space exploration efforts. Union Minister Jitendra Singh confirmed the milestone in a post on X, congratulating the ISRO team. He shared, “Happy to inform that the second satellite docking has been successfully carried out.”

This accomplishment represents another major step in India’s growing space capabilities. The PSLV-C60/SPADEX mission had been launched on December 30, 2024. The first successful docking was achieved on January 16, 2025, at 6:20 a.m., with the satellites later undocking on March 13 at 9:20 a.m.

ISRO also announced that more experimental operations are scheduled in the coming two weeks. The Minister reiterated, “As stated earlier, the PSLV-C60/SPADEX mission was launched on December 30, 2024. The initial satellite docking occurred on January 16, 2025, followed by successful undocking on March 13, 2025. Additional tests are planned over the next two weeks.”

On March 13, ISRO declared the successful completion of the de-docking phase of the SPADEX mission. The complex undocking involved a sequence of maneuvers, ending with the separation of SDX-01 (Chaser) and SDX-02 (Target), which had been launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota aboard PSLV-C60.

The process included extending SDX-02, activating and releasing Capture Lever 3, and disengaging its mechanism. A decapture command was then executed in both satellites, enabling their successful separation. India first demonstrated satellite docking with SDX-01 and SDX-02 in the early hours of January 16, 2025. This milestone placed India among the select group of nations—China, Russia, and the United States—that possess space docking technology. ISRO stated that the SPADEX mission serves as a technology demonstration to validate capabilities in spacecraft rendezvous, docking, and undocking—crucial technologies for future projects like satellite maintenance, space station operations, and interplanetary missions.

The cost-effective mission aims to validate docking using two small satellites launched aboard a single PSLV rocket. This capability supports India’s broader space goals, including lunar missions, sample return efforts, and the development of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). Such technology is essential when multiple rocket launches must work in coordination for a unified mission. The SPADEX satellites were developed by the UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in collaboration with other ISRO units, including VSSC, LPSC, SAC, IISU, and LEOS.