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ISRO SpaDeX Mission: Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) project could not complete the mission even after reaching very close to its target. ISRO said that the attempt to reduce the distance between the two satellites from 15 meters to 3 meters was successful, after which both the satellites have been moved away from each other. Now docking will be attempted after data analysis. This was the third attempt today. Even before this, the docking process had to be postponed twice.
Third attempt of docking
The complex process of connecting two satellites in space is called space docking. This third attempt of docking started after midnight on Saturday, under which the distance between the two satellites was brought down to just 15 meters using slow drift technology. At that time ISRO said that both the satellites are ready to meet each other. In the attempt made on January 9, when the distance between the two satellites was 230 meters, the drift of the satellite became more than expected and the mission had to be postponed.
Why was the docking process stopped?
When the distance between the two satellites became 15 meters early this morning, the whole country started hoping that this time the docking would be successful. The satellites were held in this position for some time. Both satellites took pictures and videos of each other, after which the next stage of the attempt began. The satellites were brought to a distance of 3 meters from 15, then something went wrong and both satellites were taken to a safe distance from each other.
In the previous attempt, the drift had become more. To join both satellites to each other, it is very important that both are in a straight line. Even a slight deviation in the direction of both can fail the docking. This time ISRO scientists were successful in maintaining the drift at zero degrees, but there was a delay in receiving signals from an important sensor. ISRO sources said that a disturbance was observed in the behavior of the proximity and docking sensor necessary for docking. Keeping in mind the safety of satellites, the on-board systems are designed in such a way that even in the case of a slight disturbance, the safety mode of the satellites automatically turns on and the satellites move to a safe distance from each other.
When will docking be attempted?
According to ISRO sources, something similar happened today. Now the disturbance in the behavior of the proximity and docking sensor is being assessed in detail. The next attempt at docking will be made only after this defect is removed. According to ISRO sources, today evening both the satellites will once again pass over ISRO’s ground station, then an attempt at docking can be made, but if the defect is not assessed by then, then we will have to wait for the next opportunity. According to ISRO sources, after two days the visibility of these two satellites will not be available from the ground station in India. In such a situation, we may have to wait till March for the next opportunity of docking.
