India plans to carry out a mission to return samples of Chandrayaan-4 to the south pole of the Moon by 2028

India plans to launch the lunar sample return mission Chandrayaan-4 in 2028, followed by an unmanned lander and rover in collaboration with Japan.

S. Somanath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), discussed upcoming missions during an invited conversation in New Delhi last week.

Chandrayaan-4The project’s goal is to collect approximately 6.6 pounds (3 kg) of lunar samples from a water-ice-rich region near the moon’s south pole and return them to Earth. several flagship missions recently approved by the Indian government to boost the space economy. 21 billion rupees (about 250 million US dollars at current exchange rates) were allocated to return the country to the moon.

“Of course, the Americans and Russians did this in the past, but doing it today is still a huge challenge—and it’s very expensive,” Somanath said. “We are looking at how we can achieve the mission of moon and back at a low price.”

Connected: ISRO: Indian Space Research Organization.

The mission architecture includes five spacecraft modules that will require two launches of ISRO’s most powerful rocket – LVM-3. The first launch will deliver a lander and ascent module for sample collection, while the second will deliver a transport module and return module, which will remain in lunar orbit. According to mission planthe apparatus with the collected samples will launch from the surface of the Moon and transfer the precious cargo to the lander, which will then head back towards the Moon. Earth for a safe landing.

To practice docking two spacecraft in orbit – one of the most challenging aspects of the Chandrayaan-4 mission – ISRO will launch the $14 million Space Docking Experiment (SPADEX) later this year or early 2025. Dean Herald reported.

Other indigenous technologies being developed for the Moon mission include a robotic arm for scooping from the lunar surface and a drilling mechanism for collecting samples several meters below the surface. ISRO had earlier stated.

The landing region has not yet been officially announced. It was previously reported that the mission would aim to land near Shiv Shakti Point near the south pole of the Moon, which was the landing site of the now dormant Spacecraft Chandrayaan-3.

South Pole of the Moon apparent abundance of water ice making it of great interest to space powers as scientists suspect the ice could be used for life support and rocket fuel. Earlier this week NASA nine candidates were shortlisted near the lunar south pole for the first crewed lunar landing, Artemis 3. China also has upcoming missions targeting the south poleand aims to send astronauts to the Moon before the end of the decade.

Chandrayaan 4 will be followed by Chandrayaan 5, which will be a joint project with Japan, Somanath said last week while speaking at a conference annual memorial lecture veneration Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — India’s first Minister of Information and Broadcasting, who played a key role in the political unification of the country after independence in 1947.

For the Chandrayaan-5 mission, also known as the Lunar Polar Exploration Project or LUPEX —Japanese Space Agency JAXA will contribute a 770-pound (350-kilogram) rover that will be more than a dozen times heavier than the 60-pound (27 kg) one. Pragyan who flew on Chandrayaan 3, Somanath said.

These efforts are part of India’s efforts to land astronauts on the moon by 2040 and create lunar base until 2050.

For now, “we are all excited to design and develop this challenging mission (Chandrayaan-4) and execute it by 2028,” Somanath said.

India plans to carry out a mission to return samples of Chandrayaan-4 to the south pole of the Moon by 2028

Archives

Categories