The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday said it has successfully completed undocking of the SPADEX (Space Docking Experiment), paving the way for ambitious future missions, including Chandrayan 4 and Gaganyan.
During the undocking sequence, SDX-2 extension was successfully executed, followed by the planned release of Capture Lever 3. Subsequently, the Capture Lever in SDX-2 was disengaged, and the final decapture command was issued in both SDX-1 and SDX-2, leading to a smooth and precise separation of the two satellites.
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Confirming the development in a social media post, ISRO shared a stunning video of the undocking experiment, showcasing India’s advanced capabilities in space technology.
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Watch video below
Spadex undocking captured from both SDX-1 & SDX-2! ️️
Watch the spectacular views of this successful separation in orbit.
Congratulations to India on this milestone! ✨ #Spadex #ISRO #SpaceTech pic.twitter.com/7u158tgKSG
— ISRO (@isro) March 13, 2025
Union Minister of State for Space Jitendra Singh congratulated ISRO for the achievement.
“Congrats team #ISRO. And heartening for every Indian! #SPADEX Satellites accomplished the unbelievable De-Docking…,” he said in a post on X.
The minister further added that this will also pave the way for future space missions, including highly ambitious Chandrayaan 4 and Gaganyaan.
“This paves the way for smooth conduct of ambitious future missions including the Bharatiya Antriksha Station, Chandrayaan 4 & Gaganyaan. PM Shri @narendramodi’s continuous patronage keeps the spirits soaring,” Singh said.
With today’s achievement, India has become only the fourth country in the world to achieve successful space docking, after the United States, Russia, and China.
The SPADEX mission, launched on December 30, 2024, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, involved two satellites, SDX-01 and SDX-02—also known as Chaser and Target—which successfully docked on January 16, 2025.
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