Chandrayaan-4 mission: What is ISRO's next step towards Moon exploration?

India and Japan are collaborating on a lunar exploration project known as the Chandrayaan-4 mission, officially designated as the LUPEX project.

This partnership, initiated in 2019, involves the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The Chandrayaan-4 mission is expected to launch in 2026, focusing on the exploration of the lunar south pole.

ISRO is responsible for constructing the moon lander, while JAXA will oversee the launch and provide the lunar rover.

The primary objective of Chandrayaan-4 mission is to investigate the presence of water near the moon's south pole.

The lunar rover will be equipped with scientific instruments to autonomously search for water and drill into the lunar surface to collect samples for analysis.

The LUPEX project may face complex technological challenges in sending a heavy rover to the moon, maneuvering it on the lunar surface, and collecting essential data.

Besides India and Japan, other space agencies are contributing to the Chandrayaan-4 mission.

NASA's Neutron Spectrometer will search for hydrogen beneath the moon's surface.

The European Space Agency's Exospheric Mass Spectrometer will assess gas pressure and chemical signatures on the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-4 mission is part of the expanding trend in lunar exploration, with various countries and space agencies, including India's Chandrayaan-3, NASA's Artemis program, and China's moon mission, which will help to expand our understanding of the Moon for future human habitation or mineral exploitation.