India postponed for a few days on Monday a much-anticipated space docking experiment that would allow it to become the fourth country in the world to achieve a feat essential for the expansion of future deep space exploration missions.
“The docking process must be validated by ground simulations based on an abort scenario identified today,” Indian space agency ISRO said, without giving further details.
The technology was initially scheduled to be tested on Tuesday morning in due course.
This experience, crucial for satellite maintenance, space station operations and interplanetary missions, allows India to play an important role at the commercial and exploratory frontiers of space.
The mission, launched on December 30 from India’s main spaceport, used an Indian-made rocket to deploy satellites into orbit.
Among the various payloads and experiments, eight cowpea seeds sent into space to study plant growth in microgravity conditions germinated and produced leaves.
Tech
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