Signalling a maturing space ecosystem

India on Monday launched the SpaDeX mission, sending two satellites to the edge of space to attempt a docking procedure.

While it might lack the spectacle of a lunar landing, SpaDeX represents something extremely consequential. Autonomous orbital docking is a sophisticated manoeuvre mastered by only a handful of nations. The ability of a spacecraft to dock with another does not merely establish a physical connection in the cosmic expanse but opens more foundational doorways of space exploration —servicing satellites, constructing space stations, and ultimately, transporting astronauts between spacecraft.