India’s SpaDeX satellites re-enter after demonstrating autonomous docking
ISRO’s two SpaDeX satellites re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on 12 October, seven hours apart, after completing docking and power-transfer tests in orbit. The mission demonstrated technology intended for future Indian plans including Chandrayaan-4 and the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, according to ISRO.
Bottom line — The 220 kg SpaDeX satellites completed their planned demonstrations before re-entering on 12 October.
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Orbinauts reports SDX01 came down over the southern Indian Ocean, west of Australia, at 16:08 UTC; SDX02 re-entered over the North Pacific at 23:05 UTC.
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ISRO launched the satellites together on 30 December 2024 and docked them for the first time on 16 January 2025.
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ISRO completed a second docking on 20 April, fully autonomously from 15 metres apart.
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On 21 April, ISRO transferred power between the satellites for about four minutes, powering a heater on the other spacecraft.
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Orbinauts says their mean altitude fell from about 460 km after undocking in March to about 155 km in their final orbital data on 12 October.
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ISRO describes docking as necessary for missions involving multiple launches, including lunar sample return and its planned space station.