India has become the fourth nation to achieve successful space docking, following the completion of the SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday. Using two small satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), ISRO demonstrated advanced capabilities for spacecraft rendezvous, docking, and undocking. This accomplishment is considered pivotal for future space missions, including Moon landings, sample returns, and the establishment of an Indian space station.

Two Satellites Docked in Orbit

In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), ISRO highlighted that the satellites, launched on December 30, 2024, by PSLV-C60, were placed in a 475-km circular orbit. The docking procedure began with the Chaser satellite manoeuvring toward the Target satellite.

After reaching a hold point at three metres, the satellites docked successfully under precise control, followed by retraction and stabilisation. Post-docking, the control of both satellites as a single unit was confirmed, with further operations, including undocking and power transfer checks, planned in the coming days.

Applications for Future Missions

As per the Indian space agency, the SpaDeX mission aims to validate technologies critical for advanced space missions. ISRO has stated that the experiment will enable the transfer of electrical power between docked spacecraft, a feature vital for in-space robotics and composite spacecraft operations.

Once the docking and undocking processes are completed, the satellites will operate independently, utilising their respective payloads over a two-year mission lifespan.

Challenges and Postponements

The docking experiment, initially scheduled for January 7, faced delays due to drift issues between the satellites, as reported by The Hindu. Ground simulations were conducted to address an abort scenario before resuming operations.

Following adjustments, the drift was successfully arrested, and the docking procedure was carried out seamlessly. This milestone reinforces India’s position among global space leaders, with the USA, Russia, and China previously achieving similar feats in spacecraft docking technology.

A supermassive black hole in a galaxy located 100 million light-years away has drawn the attention of astronomers with its unusual behavior. Observations have revealed a steady increase in the frequency of X-ray flashes, starting at intervals of 18 minutes and accelerating to seven minutes over two years. This phenomenon, linked to the black hole named 1ES 1927+654, marks a significant discovery in the study of black hole activity.

Unprecedented Phenomenon Observed

According to the research shared at the 245th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in National Harbor, Maryland, the observed X-ray oscillations are believed to originate from a compact white dwarf orbiting close to the black hole’s event horizon. As reported by phys.org, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) suggest that this white dwarf might be maintaining a precarious orbit near the black hole, which is approximately one million times the mass of the Sun. Megan Masterson, a physics graduate student at MIT and co-lead of the study, explained that such proximity to a black hole without falling in has not been observed before.

Insights into Black Hole Dynamics

The oscillations were detected using the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton observatory, which measures X-ray emissions from extreme cosmic environments. The findings point to the possibility that the white dwarf’s gravitational waves, resulting from its orbit, could be detectable by future observatories, such as NASA’s Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). As reported by phys.org, Erin Kara, an associate professor of physics at MIT, highlighted that the white dwarf’s shedding of material into the black hole may be preventing it from crossing the event horizon.

Continued observations are expected to provide further understanding of the dynamics between black holes and nearby celestial objects. Researchers aim to monitor this unique system with advanced telescopes and gravitational wave detectors, promising new insights into the physics of the universe.