ISRO announced on Monday that the docking experiment of the SpaDeX satellites, originally scheduled for January 7, has been postponed to January 9.

The Bengaluru-based space agency explained that the delay was necessary to conduct additional ground simulations to validate the docking process. This decision came after an abort scenario was identified during evaluations on Monday.

"The SpaDeX Docking scheduled on (January) 7th is now postponed to 9th. The docking process requires further validation through ground simulations based on an abort scenario identified today," ISRO said in a post on 'X'.

ISRO successfully launched the ambitious Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission on December 30.

The mission was carried out using the PSLV C60 rocket, which carried two small satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), along with 24 additional payloads. The rocket lifted off from the first launchpad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, and approximately 15 minutes after liftoff, the two satellites, each weighing about 220 kg, were successfully placed into a 475-km circular orbit as planned.

According to ISRO, the SpaDeX mission serves as a cost-effective technology demonstrator aimed at showcasing in-space docking capabilities using two small spacecraft launched by the PSLV.

This technology is critical for advancing India's space ambitions, including lunar missions, sample return missions from the Moon, and the construction and operation of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). In-space docking is particularly vital for missions requiring multiple rocket launches to achieve shared objectives. With the SpaDeX mission, India is progressing towards becoming the fourth country in the world to achieve space docking technology.