NEW DELHI: India has launched its first space docking mission on a home-made rocket, capping 2024 with a major technological feat in efforts to establish its position in the global space industry after last year’s successful moon landing and a solar observation project.

The Space Docking Experiment, or SpaDeX, mission launched on Monday evening from the Indian Space Research Organization’s Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota island off the Bay of Bengal.

About 15 minutes after liftoff aboard the ISRO’s PSLV rocket, the mission director confirmed the launch as a success and reaching “another milestone in India’s space journey” when the spacecraft reached an altitude of 470 km.

The SpaDeX mission involves launching two small spacecraft, each weighing about 220 kg, into a 470 km circular orbit.

“SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) is a pioneering mission to establish India’s capability in orbital docking, a key technology for future human spaceflight and satellite servicing missions,” the ISRO said in a statement.

“In-space docking technology is essential when multiple rocket launches are required to achieve common mission objectives. Through this mission, India is marching toward becoming the fourth country in the world to have space docking technology ... This technology is essential for India’s space ambitions such as Indian on Moon, sample return from the Moon, the building and operation of Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), etc.”

India is planning to build its modular space station, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, by 2035. The docking mission is the “first step” toward that endeavor, said Syed Maqbool Ahmed, a former ISRO scientist who was part of the Chandrayaan program — the Indian Lunar Exploration Program.

“When we want to build a space station, the very first thing we have to do is continuously coming and going back to the station, and that is where the docking is needed,” Ahmed told Arab News.

“That is amazing. Only three countries have done so till now: America, USSR and China. And we will be the fourth country.”

In the past few years, India has been establishing its position in the global space industry.

In August last year, it became the fourth nation to ever soft-land a spacecraft on the moon. A month later, it launched its solar mission, becoming the second country, after the US, to have explored the sun.

But what counts is not only the recent achievements but creating the environment and long-term investment for the space industry to flourish and involve the private sector as well.

“India has approved a space policy just a few months ago. They have also taken almost 1,000 crores ($116 million) separately to help the aerospace industry,” Ahmed said.

“India is encouraging each and every person ... lots of startups to come into the aerospace field.”

MUAN, South Korea: South Koreans ended the year in nationwide mourning on Tuesday, with bereaved families gathered at Muan Airport to receive the bodies of their loved ones killed in the deadliest-ever aviation disaster on the country’s soil.

The crash of Jeju Air flight 7CC216 from Bangkok to the southern Muan County on Sunday killed 179 people when the plane skidded off the runway, hit a concrete mound and exploded into flames. Only two people — both flight attendants — survived.

Investigators have recovered over 600 body parts from the crash site so far, as relatives and friends waited at the airport for authorities to release the victims’ remains.

“I am sorry the identification process took longer than initially promised,” said Na Won-oh, head investigator of the police in Jeonnam Province, where the airport is located.

All but five bodies have been identified as of Tuesday afternoon, as officials began to release the remains in the process expected to take another few days.

All the passengers were South Koreans, except for two Thai nationals.

“I am so heartbroken, and this is so tiring. It is really, really difficult for me,” said Park Han-shin, who lost his younger brother in the disaster.

Cries of angry relatives scolding authorities echoed through the airport, after they discovered that the bodies were spread out on the ground and not placed in refrigerators as officials had promised to do earlier.

“Our brothers, siblings and family are lying on the floor. We had demanded a cold storage unit, but (the government) did not provide it. We have to take back the bodies in good condition,” Park said.

The units were brought in later, following the complaints.

During another round of identification on Tuesday morning, people embraced one another and began to cry as officials read out the victims’ names.

“My daughter is really dead,” a woman said, hugging her husband after they heard their child’s name.

When several lawmakers made their way through the airport’s halls to meet the grieving families, a father cried:

“I just want him to find peace. He is lying there … God knows where … I want to take my son home.”

Another man showed a photo of his son to Korean lawmaker Jung Chung-rae as he fell into sobs.

“He was so handsome. Now I can’t see him,” he said. “We are all just holding it in. We are all just hanging on because we are all going through the same thing.”

South Korea is observing seven days of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast and memorials set up across the nation.

The crash on Sunday was the deadliest aviation accident ever on South Korean soil.

At the Muan airport, families were overseeing the set-up of a memorial, with dozens of black-and-white flowers filling the area. Mourners were trickling in to pay respects for the victims.

“A few people from my neighborhood were also killed. There is a memorial in our town as well, but I wanted to come support the bereaved,” said Nam Eun-hui, who drove almost two hours to reach the site.

“When I first heard of the accident on the news, I thought more people would be saved. I didn’t know it would be such a big tragedy.”