
January 20, 2025
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) showered SANSA with praise for “excellent support and contributions” provided to the SpaDeX mission. SANSA supported ISRO’s SpaDex mission, globally celebrated for its successful docking on 16 January 2025.
According to Tiaan Strydom, Acting Executive Director Space Operations, “SANSA was contracted on very short notice when ISRO encountered difficulties securing support from commercial networks. We immediately seized the opportunity to assist, starting with the launch phase on December 30th, and continuing throughout to the successful docking on 16 January 2025. The mission involved deploying two small spacecraft, Target and Chaser, each weighing approximately 220 kilograms, into low-Earth orbit. These spacecrafts were launched aboard an Indian-made PSLV rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Andhra Pradesh.”
Pre-Launch Testing
Every launch support task at SANSA HBK begins with thorough technical planning which involves evaluating the mission requirements for telemetry, tracking, and command (TT&C) and assessing the support capabilities of the ground station facilities, determining any necessary adjustments for the mission.
“The ISRO mission presented various challenges owing to the short preparation time we had. This was exacerbated by delays in customs clearance for the equipment shipped from India necessary for successful launch support. SANSA’s logistics team worked tirelessly to resolve these issues, ensuring the required equipment was available on time”, commented SANSA Senior Systems Technician, Norton Mahada.
ISRO required prior compatibility checks between their equipment and SANSA’s systems, as both were integral to the mission. This necessitated intensive testing on the 24th and 26th of December 2025. When additional equipment arrived on the 27th, testing continued over the next three days to simulate various stages of the launch and docking. This stage was crucial in validating the systems before the launch.
Payload Communication and Mission Monitoring
During the mission, SANSA supported payload operations, including sending commands to the satellite and monitoring its status. The client maintained direct communication with SANSA to coordinate station activity at critical mission phases. SANSA’s team remained on standby to respond promptly to real-time updates and provide immediate technical support.
Technical Challenges
The mission’s early stages were particularly demanding, with technical challenges emerging during the testing and initial operation phases. SANSA’s technical team worked diligently to address these issues, ensuring all systems functioned optimally before handing over to the SANSA operations team responsible for downloading telemetry data. The operations will continue providing support to ISRO until April this year.
SANSA is thrilled of ISRO’s achievement while acknowledging that its commendable participation in the mission is due to the dedication of the operations and technical teams who are always willing to forego holiday festivities to serve clients.