National Space Commission Approved India’s Fifth Lunar Mission

October 9, 2024

After the success of Chandrayaan-3 in August 2023, India’s National Space Commission has approved a new lunar mission, called the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (Lupex). This mission is a partnership between India’s space agency ISRO and Japan’s space agency JAXA, and it will focus on exploring the Moon’s resources, especially water at the lunar south pole.

What are the Objectives of the Lupex Mission?

The main goal of the Lupex mission is to study water and other important resources on the Moon. Scientists want to understand how much water is present, where it is located, and whether it is just on the surface or also beneath the Moon’s soil, known as regolith.

How long will the Mission Last?

Lupex is designed to operate for up to 100 days on the Moon’s surface. This is a longer time compared to previous lunar missions, allowing the mission to gather more information. It will explore areas that are permanently shadowed places that sunlight never reaches—using special tools for drilling and on-site experiments.

Collaboration Between India and Japan

In this mission, both India and Japan will share responsibilities. JAXA (Japan) will build the rover and the rocket, while ISRO (India) will build the lander that will carry the rover to the Moon’s surface. The Lupex rover will be about 350 kg in weight, much larger than the Pragyan rover from Chandrayaan-3, which weighed just 26 kg.

What could the Mission Mean for the Future?

Lupex’s information will help plan future missions to the Moon, including those that may bring lunar samples back to Earth. It is also part of India’s larger plan to send astronauts to the Moon by 2040. Lupex will also strengthen international cooperation in space exploration, especially between India and Japan.

About the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (Lupex)

Lupex, will explore the Moon’s polar regions, searching for water ice and assessing other resources. The mission is an important step toward building a sustainable human presence on the Moon. It will also contribute to lunar geology studies and increase international collaboration in space research.

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