PSLV-C60 Mission: Foundation for Chandrayaan-4 & Bharatiya Antariksh Station
- Launched on: December 30, 2024, from Sriharikota.
- Payload: SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) satellites, a key step toward lunar and space station docking.
- Milestones Achieved:
- January 16, 2025: Successful in-orbit docking and stabilisation of SpaDeX satellites.
- Enabled power transfer and initiated undocking protocols.
Relevance : GS 3(Space)
POEM4: Orbital Testbed
- PSLV’s fourth stage, repurposed as a satellite, hosted 24 payloads from ISRO, academia, and private industry.
- Key Experiments:
- Robotic arms tested debris capture and relocation.
- Plant studies: Germination of cowpea seeds (CROPS).
- Green propulsion tests: Manastu Space (MS289 fuel) and Bellatrix Aerospace (RUDRA engine).
- Amateur communications: Successful transmissions from SwetchaSAT-V0 and BGS-ARPIT.
- Scientific payloads: GalaxEye’s SAR imagery and TakeMe2Space’s AI processing in orbit.
Indian Space Startups on SpaceX’s Transporter 12
- Pixxel Space: Launched 3 Firefly hyperspectral satellites, forming India’s first private satellite constellation.
- Digantara: Deployed a space camera for tracking objects in low-Earth orbit.
- XDLINX Labs: Delivered a communications satellite for U.S.-based Almagest Space.
Infrastructure and Technological Advancements
- New Launch Pad: Approved at ₹3,984.86 crore, to be ready by 2029, supporting human spaceflight and the Next-Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV).
- Engine Technology:
- Successfully tested Vikas engine restart capability at Mahendragiri.
- This innovation supports atmospheric operations and enhances mission flexibility.
Aditya-L1 and Solar Data
- Marked a year of operations by releasing the first tranche of data on January 6, 2025.
- Mission continues to study the sun and its effects on the inner solar system.
