Context: ISRO is gearing up for the Chandrayaan-4 mission, aiming to bring lunar soil samples back to Earth. The mission involves preparatory space-docking experiments.
Relevance: GS 3 (ISRO)
C60 Mission and SpaDeX:
- The C60 mission, launched by PSLV, placed two 220kg satellites into orbit.
- These satellites will perform the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), ISRO’s first docking experiment.
- The experiment involves:
- Gradually increasing the distance between the satellites.
- Executing the rendezvous and docking process, starting around January 7.
Chandrayaan-4 Mission:
- Will utilize two LVM-3 rockets.
- The mission modules will perform multiple docking and undocking maneuvers to return lunar soil to Earth safely.
Future Space Plans:
- ISRO Chairman S. Somanath emphasized 2025 as a key year with several planned launches using GSLV and SSLV rockets.
- Docking technology is crucial for:
- Chandrayaan-4.
- Establishing the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2035.
- Sending an Indian astronaut to the moon.
- Docking technology is crucial for:
Significance of Docking Technology:
- Essential for sustaining a space presence, as future missions like BAS require module docking.
- The SpaDeX satellites, orbiting 475 km above Earth at 28,000 km/h, require precise speed matching for docking success.
