SpaDeX may boost ISRO’s ’Indian on Moon’, Chandrayaan-4 missions: All about space agency’s new launch on Dec 30

The Indian Space Research Organisation will launch its PSLV-C60/SpaDeX Mission from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh at 9:58 pm on December 30, 2024. It stated, “Starting from manned missions represented by Gemini 8, Apollo, and Soyuz, interest in and demand for space docking have been shifting to unmanned, automated operations.” Similarly, ISRO explained that this technology is essential for India’s space ambitions, such as "Indian on Moon", sample return from the Moon, and the building and operation of Bharatiya Antariksh Station." "In-space docking technology is essential when multiple rocket launches are required to achieve common mission objectives," the Indian space agency said. According to ISRO, the primary objective of the SpaDeX mission is to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for rendezvous, docking, and undocking of two small spacecraft in a low-Earth circular orbit. Here's what ISRO explained: The two small spacecraft part of the mission will be launched by PSLV-C60, independently and simultaneously, into a 470 km circular orbit at 55° inclination.