India & Japan Sign Agreement To Launch Chandrayaan-5; What Is The Mission About?

During a recent visit to Tokyo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India and Japan have signed an agreement to collaborate on the Chandrayaan-5 mission. Chandrayaan-5, also called LUPEX, is India’s next lunar endeavour, building on the successes of Chandrayaan-1, which discovered water molecules on the Moon, and Chandrayaan-3, which achieved a historic landing near the lunar south pole in 2023.

The mission will reportedly feature an Indian-built lander and a Japanese-built rover, which will be the heaviest rover ever sent to the Moon. This advanced rover, equipped with cutting-edge instruments, will be launched from Japan, marking a key milestone in the collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

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The mission aims to deepen our understanding of the Moon by studying its surface, soil, and environment. It will focus on analysing lunar resources, such as minerals and potential water ice, especially in the Moon’s polar regions. These findings could help scientists learn more about the Moon’s geological history and support plans for future lunar bases.

The rover will use high-resolution cameras and sensors to map the terrain and investigate the composition of the lunar surface, while the lander will ensure a precise landing to deploy the rover effectively. Chandrayaan-5 will also test new technologies, like autonomous navigation and advanced landing systems, which could benefit future missions. It will be launched H3-24L launch vehicle from Japan.

This collaboration will follow Chandrayaan-4, which is being developed to collect and return lunar soil and rock samples to Earth.

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