Historic orbital rendezvous: India has successfully postponed the testing of a crucial space technology (photos).

India has postponed its first attempt to dock two spacecraft in low Earth orbit to conduct additional checks, as the country prepares for what will be a crucial test of technologies for its future ambitions in space, reports Space.

Initially scheduled for January 7, the docking of two satellites as part of the SpaDeX mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was expected to occur after their successful launch on the PSLV rocket on December 30. This docking technology test in space will mark India's first-ever trial of an automated space docking system.

As per a new statement from ISRO, the docking of the two satellites has been rescheduled for January 9, as this process requires further verification and more meticulous preparation. The two satellites, each weighing 220 kg, are currently orbiting the Earth at an altitude of 470 km and are set to join together in a historic test for India.

The SpaDeX mission is designed to test automated rendezvous and docking technology, which India plans to utilize during future missions to low Earth orbit and the Moon. This technology will be employed by both unmanned spacecraft and crewed missions.

The successful execution of the SpaDeX mission will enable India to become a full-fledged member of the club of countries that have already mastered space docking. Such technology is currently possessed by the USA, China, Japan, and the European Space Agency. It allows for the automatic docking of cargo and crewed spacecraft.

India aims to establish the "Bharatiya Antariksh" space station in orbit by 2040, and docking technology will be vital both during the assembly of the station and while conducting crewed missions.

India is also planning to launch the "Chandrayaan-4" mission to the Moon by 2028, which will involve collecting lunar soil samples and bringing them back to Earth. This mission will also require automated docking technology, as the capsule containing the samples will be delivered to lunar orbit and transferred to a spacecraft that will return it to Earth.