ISRO PSLV-C60 SpaDeX Mission: Launch Date, Time, and How to Watch LIVE

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch its highly anticipated Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission on December 30, 2024.

SpaDEX mission marks a significant step in India's space capabilities, aiming to demonstrate critical in-space docking technology using two small spacecraft.

What is the Launch Date and Time 

The Polar Satellite Launch vehicle (PSLV-C60) will lift off at 21:58 IST from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota on December 30. This mission marks a significant step in India's space capabilities, aiming to demonstrate critical in-space docking technology using two small spacecraft.

Objectives of SpaDeX Mission 

The primary objective of the SpaDeX mission is to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for rendezvous, docking, and undocking of two small spacecraft (SDX01, which is the Chaser, and SDX02, the Target, nominally) in a low-Earth circular orbit, ISRO said in a statement. 

Mission Concept 

The SpaDeX mission consists of two small spacecraft (about 220 kg each) to be launched by PSLV-C60 independently and simultaneously into a 470 km circular orbit at 55° inclination, with a local time cycle of about 66 days. The demonstrated precision of the PSLV vehicle will be utilized to give a small relative velocity between the Target and Chaser spacecraft at the time of separation from the launch vehicle, ISRO said. 

“This incremental velocity will allow the Target spacecraft to build a 10-20 km inter-satellite separation with respect to the Chaser within a day. At this point, the relative velocity between the targets will be compensated using the propulsion system of the targets,” the space agency added.

Where To Watch 

The launch will be live-streamed by ISRO's official YouTube channel- https://youtube.com/@isroofficial5866?si=cNc1oaKf7Dlr9IxR and across all platforms of Republic Media Network.