NEW DELHI (XINHUA) – Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission, officials said.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C60) with the two satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), 220 kilogrammes each, lifted off on Monday from the launch pad of Sriharikota, off the Bay of Bengal coast located in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
“PSLV-C60 successfully launches SpaDeX and 24 payloads,” ISRO said in a brief statement posted on social media.
Television images showed a 44.5-metre rocket blasting off from the launch pad leaving behind thick fumes and then emitting a bright orange flame from its tail while moving upwards in the night sky.
The SpaDeX mission consists of two small spacecraft launched by PSLV-C60, independently and simultaneously, into a 470 kilometres circular orbit at 55 degrees inclination, with a local time cycle of about 66 days.
The two spacecraft will now be directed towards achieving space docking in the next 10 days likely on January 7.
According to ISRO, SpaDeX is a key technology for future human spaceflight and satellite servicing missions.
