On January 16, India's national space agency, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), conducted a successful space docking (SpaDeX) operation by bridging two satellites in space, after overcoming hiccups twice.

The ISRO began the SpaDex mission on December 30 with the launch of the spacecraft in the form of two satellites using the space agency's old workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV)-C60 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, about 110km from Chennai. The docking experiment was postponed twice before it was carried out on January 16.

The docking process involved two satellites, each weighing 220 kg. The two spacecraft manoeuvred from the 15-metre to the 3-meter hold point, initiating docking and leading to successful spacecraft capture. After the docking, the two satellites were brought together as a single object. In the coming days, undocking operations and power transfer from one satellite to the other are scheduled to further validate the system's performance.

After successful docking and undocking, the two satellites will separate again and be used for application missions. During undocking, the spacecraft will separate to begin individual payload operations. These payloads will provide high-resolution images, natural resource monitoring, vegetation studies and on-orbit radiation environment measurements which find numerous applications.

The docking technology holds significance for Indian scientists' efforts to grow plants in space and make them survive. For this, ISRO scientists chose seeds of cowpeas. Sent to the space on board a spacecraft on December 30, these seeds germinated in the space itself which scientists hope will pave the way for growing vegetables in the pace in future.

ISRO has also moved into technology for manufacturing in the space. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras' ExTeM Centre is working on new experiments for manufacturing in space, researching technologies like 3D-printed buildings, metal foams and optical fibres in space, as well as on methods like concrete construction without water.

The Indian cabinet approved on January 16 the establishment of the Third Launch Pad (TLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre of ISRO at Sriharikota. At present, India is dependent on two launch pads since the first launch pad was built 30 years ago. As per official sources, the new project aims to establish launch infrastructure for the next-generation launch vehicles (NGLV) of ISRO and also to support as a standby launch pad for the second launch pad at Sriharikota. This is also expected to enhance the launch capacity for future Indian human spaceflight missions and facilitate higher launch frequencies.