Source: The post ISRO’s SpaDeX mission has been created, based on the article “How the Sun played a role in SpaDex success” published in “Indian Express” on 18th January 2025
UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3-Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
Context: The article discusses India’s successful satellite docking under ISRO’s SpaDeX mission, making it the fourth country to achieve this. It highlights the challenges of docking during solar activity and emphasizes the need for better space weather forecasting for future missions.
For detailed information on SpaDeX Mission Explaination read this article here
What is the SpaDeX Mission?
- SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) is ISRO’s first satellite docking mission.
- It involved two satellites: SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), launched on December 30, 2024, into a low-Earth circular orbit.
- The satellites were initially separated by 20 km. The Chaser satellite gradually approached the Target, reducing the distance to 5 km, 1.5 km, 500 m, 225 m, 15 m, and finally 3 m before docking.
- India became the fourth country to achieve satellite docking, after the US, Russia, and China.
- Docking is vital for future missions like Chandrayaan-4 and the Bharatiya Antariksha Station.
What role did solar activity play in the mission?
- Solar activity directly impacts space missions by interfering with sensors and electronic control systems.
- Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and high-speed solar wind streams during strong solar activity cause positional errors and communication loss.
- Docking requires precise alignment and negligible relative velocity, which is challenging during solar maximum.
- The mission took place during solar cycle 25, which has been marked by strong solar activity.
- Surprisingly, during the days leading up to the docking, the Sun displayed fewer sunspots and magnetic disturbances, enabling smooth operations.
- This calm solar period contributed to India’s successful docking of satellites under SpaDeX.
Why is Space Weather Forecasting Important?
- Just as Earth weather forecasts are crucial for safety and planning, space weather forecasts are essential for successful space missions.
- Accurate predictions help in planning critical operations like docking, especially during periods of high solar activity.
- The SpaDeX mission highlights the importance of investments in space weather prediction during solar maximum phases.
Question for practice:
Discuss the significance of space weather forecasting in the success of ISRO’s SpaDeX mission.
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