India becomes world's fourth nation to carry out successful space docking mission

India on Thursday became the fourth nation in the world to achieve space docking, a technological milestone that underscores its ambitions.

BENGALURU, India — India on Thursday became the fourth nation in the world to achieve space docking, a technological milestone that underscores its ambitions to expand its share in the rapidly growing $400 billion global space market.

At around 9 a.m. IST (10:30 p.m. Wednesday ET), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) carried out the highly anticipated Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), a spokesperson for the agency said.

Two ISRO satellites, Target and Chaser — each roughly the size of a large refrigerator — successfully latched onto each other and unlatched after a series of complex orbital maneuvers.

The indigenous technology, crucial for satellite servicing, space station operations, and interplanetary missions, positions India to play a significant role in the commercial and exploratory frontiers of space.

“India has ambitious missions planned and to achieve those this is an important technology we have to have. Various missions like building a space station need assembly in space, which is not possible without space docking,” Indian astrophysicist Jayant Murthy said.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/india-successful-space-docking-mission-rcna187920

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