India's space agency ISRO postponed a highly anticipated space docking mission for the second time late Wednesday. The agency cited an issue arising from excess drift between the satellites, without disclosing a new date for the docking.

The SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) mission is intended to be a technology demonstrator for the docking of two small spacecraft launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) on December 30.

India postponed by a couple of days on Monday a highly-anticipated space docking experiment that would see it become the fourth country in the world to achieve a feat essential for expanding future deep space exploratory missions.

The two satellites launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for a space docking experiment may soon attain the conditions needed to commence the mission. The docking experiment, originally scheduled for Thursday, was postponed after the satellites drifted more than expected during a manoeuvre to reduce the distance between them.

India launched its first space docking mission on Monday, on an Indian-made rocket, in an attempt to become the fourth country to achieve the advanced technological feat.

ISRO's SpaDeX mission takes a crucial step forward despite delays, as the spacecraft begin a slow drift course to prepare for India's first space docking experiment.

ISRO is planning to carry out its ambitious space docking experiment using two satellites in orbit. If the ISRO succeeds in its mission, India will become the