India successfully conducts ‘dogfight’ in Space between Chaser and Target satellites, here’s all you need to know

India is currently executing a unique and highly advanced “dogfight” in space, involving a “chaser” and a “target” satellite positioned approximately 500 kilometers above the Earth. This follows similar exercises conducted by Chinese defense satellites in low Earth orbits in 2024.

“Dogfighting” in space involves coordinated, close-range maneuvers between spacecraft, akin to aerial dogfights between fighter jets.

The Indian endeavor represents an additional element of the ambitious SPADEX Mission by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), a mission that seamlessly integrates numerous societal and strategic goals.

Two Indian satellites, traveling at 28,800 kilometers per hour—28 times faster than a commercial passenger jet and 10 times the speed of a bullet—are autonomously engaged in a precise flight pattern orchestrated by ISRO. Both satellites have been executing rendezvous and proximity maneuvers.

This current “dogfight” follows an earlier, manually-controlled circumambulation or parikrama between the chaser and target satellites, which took place a few weeks prior.

During an interview with NDTV, ISRO Chairman Dr V Narayanan said, In the SPADEX mission, India has already “successfully demonstrated docking and undocking twice over.”

After these extended docking and undocking maneuvers, the ISRO chief reported that 50% of the fuel remained on the two satellites.

The ISRO chief also noted that precise rocket launch and efficient orbital management have left the satellites with nearly 2.5 kilograms of fuel each, which will extend the mission’s lifespan.

Brigadier (Retd) Anshuman Narang, Director and Founder of Atma Nirbhar Soch, an independent think tank, praised the effort, stating, “Through this dogfight in space, ISRO is pushing the right technological frontier. It’s a good thing that this technology demonstration of peaceful robotization in space through advanced swadeshi technology. This space modernization and autonomization through indigenization and intelligentization is what today’s atmanirbhar Bharat needs.”

A space expert is closely monitoring China’s space developments.

China recently demonstrated similar capabilities using multiple satellites, prompting concern from the US Space Force about rivals narrowing the technology gap.

Previously, ISRO successfully demonstrated the docking of the SPADEX satellites (SDX 01 & SDX 02) for the second time on April 20.

Power transfer between SDX 02 and SDX 01 satellites was successfully executed on April 21.

The experiment involved operating a heater element in one satellite using power from the other, with the transfer lasting approximately 4 minutes and the satellites performing as anticipated.

In the second docking attempt, docking was fully autonomous from a 15m inter-satellite distance, whereas the first attempt included a manual hold at 3m.

The second docking experiment followed detailed ground simulations and on-orbit trials, building on experience from the initial docking and undocking, which bolstered confidence in the second demonstration.

The successful demonstration of the fully autonomous second docking and power transfer signifies a key milestone in the SPADEX mission. The first docking was accomplished on January 16 of this year.

ISRO successfully docked two Indian satellites in space, orbiting 475 kilometers above Earth, making India the fourth country, following Russia, the USA, and China, to master docking.

India launched the SpaDeX mission on December 30 last year using the PSLV rocket. Docking is a crucial technology for future missions like Chandrayaan-4 and the Bhartiya Antariksha Station.