India's Chandrayaan-3 mission marked a historic achievement in lunar exploration. Launched on July 14, 2023, it successfully soft-landed near the Moon's south pole on August 23, 2023, making India the first country to do so.
This success has paved the way for more ambitious projects. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan recently announced that the Centre has approved the Chandrayaan-5 mission to the Moon.
This initiative enhances India's lunar exploration capabilities and involves collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Chandrayaan-5 plans to deploy a 250 kg rover to conduct detailed studies of the Moon's surface. Before this, Chandrayaan-4 is scheduled for launch in 2027, focusing on collecting and returning lunar soil samples to Earth.
These missions are strategic steps toward India's goal of achieving a human landing on the Moon by 2040.
What is Chandrayaan 5? India’s Next Big Step Toward the Moon
Chandrayaan-5 is India’s ambitious next step in its lunar exploration program, marking a significant advancement in the country’s space endeavours.
Chandrayaan-5 builds on the successes of earlier missions, such as Chandrayaan-3, which achieved a historic soft landing near the lunar south pole in 2023.
The mission is also part of the planned Chandrayaan-4 sample-return initiative. Chandrayaan-5 represents a collaborative effort between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
This mission, recently approved by the Indian government as of March 2025, aims to deepen our understanding of the Moon’s surface and its resources.
Features
- A key feature of Chandrayaan-5 is its deployment of a 250 kg rover—over ten times heavier than the 25 kg Pragyan rover used in Chandrayaan-3.
- This larger, more advanced rover is designed to explore shadowed regions of the lunar surface, particularly areas near the south pole where water ice is suspected to exist.
- The mission’s objectives include conducting detailed scientific studies of the lunar terrain, mineral composition, and potential water resources, which could be critical for future lunar habitation and exploration.
- Unlike Chandrayaan-4, which focuses on retrieving lunar samples and returning them to Earth by 2028, Chandrayaan-5 prioritises in-situ exploration and analysis with enhanced technological capabilities.
Chandrayaan-4: The Crucial Link Before Chandrayaan-5
Chandrayaan-4 is a pivotal mission in India's lunar exploration program, serving as a crucial link before the ambitious Chandrayaan-5 mission.
Scheduled for launch in 2027, Chandrayaan-4 aims to collect and return lunar samples to Earth, marking a significant milestone in India's space endeavours.
Importance of Chandrayaan-4
Chandrayaan-4's sample return mission is significant because it will bring back lunar material for detailed analysis on Earth.
This data could help understand the Moon's composition, particularly at the south pole, which is vital for planning Chandrayaan-5's exploration activities.
Additionally, the technologies developed, such as landing, sample collection, and return, are likely to be refined for future missions, including Chandrayaan-5.
Role in Chandrayaan-5
Chandrayaan-5, as a collaborative effort with JAXA, aims to explore the Moon's permanently shadowed regions for water ice, a key resource for future lunar habitation.
The success of Chandrayaan-4 could enhance ISRO's credibility, making international partnerships smoother. Moreover, the insights from Chandrayaan-4's samples might guide the selection of landing sites or rover operations for Chandrayaan-5, ensuring its success.
Mission Profiles and Timelines
Chandrayaan-4 is a planned lunar sample return mission, marking the fourth iteration in ISRO's Chandrayaan program. As of 2025, its conceptualisation phase is complete, and the design phase is nearing completion, with an expected launch around 2028.
The mission will use two LVM3 launch vehicles and consists of four modules: Transfer Module (TM), Lander Module (LM), Ascender Module (AM), and Reentry Module (RM), with a mission life of one lunar day (approximately 14 Earth days).
It aims to return up to 3 kg (6.6 lb) of lunar regolith from near Shiv Shakti point, the landing site of Chandrayaan-3, located at the lunar south pole.
Chandrayaan-5, referred to as the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX) in collaboration with JAXA, is scheduled for launch in 2028–29 using the H3 launch vehicle.
This mission will involve an Indian lander and a Japanese rover, weighing 250 kg, designed to explore the Moon's permanently shadowed regions for water ice, crucial for future lunar exploration and habitation.
It focuses on onsite sampling, analysis, and demonstrating lunar night survival technologies, with an expected mission duration of 6 months.
What Are The Key Differences Between Chandrayaan-4 And Chandrayaan-5?
| Aspect | Chandrayaan-4 | Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX) |
| Objective | Lunar sample return (up to 3 kg) | Explore the lunar south pole, onsite sampling, lunar night survival |
| Launch Vehicle | LVM3 × 2 | H3 (JAXA) |
| Launch Date | Around 2028 | 2028–29 |
| Modules | TM, LM, AM, RM | Lander (ISRO), Rover (JAXA) |
| Mission Duration | 14 days (1 lunar day) | 6 months |
| Landing Site | Near Shiv Shakti point | Lunar south pole, permanently shadowed regions |
| Key Technology | Space docking, sample collection, return | Lander-rover operations, international collaboration |
| Dependency on Prior | Builds on Chandrayaan-3 landing tech | Likely uses Chandrayaan-4 data for site selection |
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