India became the fourth country to successfully conduct a satellite space docking experiment (SpaDeX), following Russia, the United States, and China.
According to foreign media on the 16th (local time), two satellites launched on a single rocket from the Sriharikota Space Center in Andhra Pradesh, southeastern India, on the 30th of last month successfully docked at around 9 a.m. (Indian local time) that day.
Each of the two satellites weighs 220kg, and after launch, they separated and then rejoined. The two satellites, roughly the size of large refrigerators, were called the 'Target' and the 'Chaser,' respectively. The docking of the two satellites had been postponed at least twice in recent weeks due to technical issues.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which led the experiment, called it a "historic moment" and said that satellite docking technology is an essential element for India's lunar exploration missions.
This mission was carried out following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement last year to send a manned spacecraft to the moon by 2040.
Prime Minister Modi stated on X (formerly Twitter), "The docking success is an important stepping stone for India's ambitious future space missions."
Although the global commercial space market is expected to reach $1 trillion (approximately 1,450 trillion won) by 2030, the Indian government's current share is only 2% ($8 billion). In response, the Indian government announced plans to increase its share in the space market to $44 billion by 2040.
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