Docking specifically refers to joining of two separate free-flying space vehicles.Berthing refers to mating operations where an inactive module/vehicle is placed into the mating interface of another space vehicle by using a robotic arm.
So I'd read that this orbital docking experiment is called SPADEX (SPAce Docking EXperiment) - and isn't this SPADEX actually on the manifest for the upcoming PSLV C38 mission scheduled to launch in a couple of weeks? Gee, I hadn't realized they'd snuck that in there. How long would it take to carry out this experiment? Here's some old info from Reddit:https://www.reddit.com/r/ISRO/comments/3l1xdl/proposed_rendezvous_and_docking_experiment/
Do you have any source link for this info ( SPADEX on PSLV-C38) ?
The couple EMISAT/SPADEX comes originally from this source:http://nrsc.gov.in/sites/all/pdf/modnrscUIM%20_Raghava%20Reddy_1.pdfEMIsat seems to be an Earth observation satellite (anyone knows what this acronym means?)SPaDEx seems to be a Space Docking Experiment between 2 mini satellites
INDIAN LAUNCH MANIFEST ( 5 Jun 2017) Date Launch Vehicle Payload--------------------------------------------------------------------------------...#23 Jun 17 PSLV C38 Cartosat 2E (Cartosat 2 Series Satellite 3), EMISAT/SPADEX?, Lemur-2 34-41, Max Valier Sat, Venta 1, 3-Diamonds Red/Green/Blue, QB50-IOD (InflateSail (GB06), COMPASS 2 (DragSail-CubeSat, DE04)), QB50-S (LituanicaSAT 2 (LT01), NUDTSat (CN06, BE06), PEGASUS (AT03), UCLSat (GB03), URSA MAJOR (IT02), VZLUsat 1 (CZ02)), SHERPA (3CAT1, Aalto 1, Arkyd 6, Pathfinder 2, CANYVAL-X (Tom, Jerry), CAT 1, CNUSail 1, CORVUS BC, DIDO 1, eXCITe (PTB 1, SeeMee), FOX 1C/1D, ICE-Cap, ITASAT 1, KAUSAT 5, LMPC (AeroCube 9), OCSD B/C (IOCPS), PROPCUBE, SIGMA (KHUSAT 3), ROBUSTA 1B, skCUBE, STEP Cube Lab, Suchai)
Gee, there's a ? next to it - maybe that means it's tentative?
India’s space agency ISRO plans to demonstrate docking technology some time next year, the agency’s Chairman, Kailasavadivoo Sivan, told BusinessLine today. Docking refers to connecting of two flying objects in space, so that men and materials can be transferred from one to the other.Two satellites will be sent to space on board a regular PSLV mission and the two would be made to dock with each other, Sivan said, describing the exercise as a technology demonstration experiment.
Additionally, I'm eager to learn more details about the overall mission in general, which will be another landmark milestone mission for ISRO in the development of another key technology for spaceflight - including even possibly for human spaceflight. Also, what are the existing examples and precedents for using orbital docking in non-HSF applications?
This technology will be a forerunner to future planetary missions including crew transfer, international participation et al, the document added.“The satellite will be ready by mid-year but then we have a lot of tests to be done. The experimental launch may happen towards the end of this year,” Sivan added.
QuoteGOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF SPACE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 426 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2024426. SMT. APARAJITA SARANGI: Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state: that the details of the India's space programmes and missions to be launched in the year 2024? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH): *** Following are the space programmes & missions planned in the year 2024. i. Three PSLV missions, two of which are technology demonstration missions (TDS-01 & SPADEX) and one dedicated commercial mission for NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) ii. One GSLV mission to launch NVS-02 Navigation Satellite iii. One SSLV mission, to launch a technology demonstration Satellite (EOS-08). iv. First unmanned flight under Gaganyaan Programme (HLVM3-G1) [...]
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF SPACE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 426 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2024426. SMT. APARAJITA SARANGI: Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state: that the details of the India's space programmes and missions to be launched in the year 2024? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH): *** Following are the space programmes & missions planned in the year 2024. i. Three PSLV missions, two of which are technology demonstration missions (TDS-01 & SPADEX) and one dedicated commercial mission for NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) ii. One GSLV mission to launch NVS-02 Navigation Satellite iii. One SSLV mission, to launch a technology demonstration Satellite (EOS-08). iv. First unmanned flight under Gaganyaan Programme (HLVM3-G1) [...]
IN-SPACe launch manifesto has been released:QuoteQ4 FY 2023-24: (1 January 2024 - 30 March 2024)✅ PSLV C58 / ISRO Payload (XPoSat) + POEM-3 with 9 payloads✅ GSLV F14 / ISRO Payload (Insat-3DS)✅ AGNIBAAN-SORTeD (Suborbital mission)- SSLV D3 / ISRO Primary Payload, Space Rickshaw & IITMSatFY 2024-25 Commercial Missions:Q1: (1 April 2024 - 30 June 2024)- PSLV C59 / NSIL Primary Payload, SCOT, CGUSAT, LEAP-1- VIKRAM-1: TBDQ2: (1 July 2024 - 30 September 2024)- LVM3 M5 / NSIL Payload- VIKRAM-1: TBDQ3: (1 October 2024 - 31 December 2024)- PSLV C62 / PROBA-3- PSLV N1 / TDS-01- SSLV S1 / TBD, PARIKSHIT- VIKRAM-1: TBD- AGNIBAAN: TBDQ4: (1 January 2025 - 30 March 2025)- PSLV N2 / TBD, Aadyah, DRISHTI, Sanskardhaam, DS P30- SSLV S2 / TBD, Azista60°- VIKRAM-1: TBD- AGNIBAAN: TBDFY 2024-25 ISRO/User-funded Missions: (No specific quarters given)- PSLV C60 / ISRO Payload + POEM-4- GSLV F15 / ISRO Payload- PSLV C61 / ISRO Payload- GSLV F16 / ISRO Payload- PSLV C63 / ISRO Payloads- GSLV F17 / ISRO PayloadNote:[...]- In addition, seven test launches pertaining to Gaganyaan are also scheduled during the period.[...]
Q4 FY 2023-24: (1 January 2024 - 30 March 2024)✅ PSLV C58 / ISRO Payload (XPoSat) + POEM-3 with 9 payloads✅ GSLV F14 / ISRO Payload (Insat-3DS)✅ AGNIBAAN-SORTeD (Suborbital mission)- SSLV D3 / ISRO Primary Payload, Space Rickshaw & IITMSatFY 2024-25 Commercial Missions:Q1: (1 April 2024 - 30 June 2024)- PSLV C59 / NSIL Primary Payload, SCOT, CGUSAT, LEAP-1- VIKRAM-1: TBDQ2: (1 July 2024 - 30 September 2024)- LVM3 M5 / NSIL Payload- VIKRAM-1: TBDQ3: (1 October 2024 - 31 December 2024)- PSLV C62 / PROBA-3- PSLV N1 / TDS-01- SSLV S1 / TBD, PARIKSHIT- VIKRAM-1: TBD- AGNIBAAN: TBDQ4: (1 January 2025 - 30 March 2025)- PSLV N2 / TBD, Aadyah, DRISHTI, Sanskardhaam, DS P30- SSLV S2 / TBD, Azista60°- VIKRAM-1: TBD- AGNIBAAN: TBDFY 2024-25 ISRO/User-funded Missions: (No specific quarters given)- PSLV C60 / ISRO Payload + POEM-4- GSLV F15 / ISRO Payload- PSLV C61 / ISRO Payload- GSLV F16 / ISRO Payload- PSLV C63 / ISRO Payloads- GSLV F17 / ISRO PayloadNote:[...]- In addition, seven test launches pertaining to Gaganyaan are also scheduled during the period.[...]
Chandrayaan-4 was one of the four key projects the Union Cabinet approved on Wednesday, at a total outlay of over Rs 22,000 crore. It is aimed at demonstrating capabilities of lunar landing and return to Earth, and collecting moon samples for their analysis on earth. The ISRO Chairman said SPADEX (space docking experiment), scheduled later this year, would demonstrate ISRO’s ability to apply the docking technology.
…Currently Spadex satellites are under integration. It will be completed in a month’s time. Then it will go for full-fledged testing, demonstration of simulation and everything. We’re hoping to have a launch before Dec 15.”
ISRO gears up for 'Space handshake' SPADEX; private firm delivers two satellitesOct 18, 2024The Indian Space agency has taken possession of two 400kg satellites that are part of a crucial upcoming mission known as SPADEX – Space Docking Experiment. As part of this mission, these two satellites will be hurled into slightly different orbits by a single rocket. [...]Ananth Technologies Private Limited (ATL), completed the integration of two 400kg satellites for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and handed them over at ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC), Bengaluru, the facility meant for designing and developing satellites.ISRO always builds their satellites at the URSC, but this is the first time that ISRO is getting their satellites completely assembled, integrated and tested by the Indian private industry at a private facility. This shift is enabled by the space sector reforms that grant greater opportunities to the Indian private sector.[...] The assembly, integration and testing of the satellites were done at our Bengaluru facility in a record three months, the ISRO scientist-turned-entrepreneur told WION. [...]Given that the satellites have been delivered to the URSC, they would soon be trucked to the Indian Spaceport at Sriharikota, from where they could be further tested, fuelled, and launched in the coming months.
"Our current date for Spadex is Dec 20,” Somanath confirmed to TOI.
TakeMe2Space set to launch India's first AI laboratory in spaceNov 26 2024TakeMe2Space, a space technology firm based in Hyderabad, has announced the forthcoming launch of MOI-TD (My Orbital Infrastructure - Technology Demonstrator), India's first AI lab in space. The mission will demonstrate real-time data processing in orbit, making space research more affordable and accessible. The launch is scheduled for mid-December 2024 aboard ISRO's PSLV C60 launch vehicle.[...]
Today, on the auspicious occasion of Diwali, we're thrilled to announce the successful flag-off of our first SAR satellite mission, Varuna!This cutting-edge technology was indigenously designed and developed in India in record time - less than a year! - by our rockstar team at PierSight led by Vinit Bansal. [...]Varuna will be launched using the PSLV-C60 launch vehicle!
