The Indian government has approved plans for Chandrayaan-5, the next mission to explore the moon. According to reports from Indian media, the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), V Narayanan, announced this at an event held at ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru.

The Chandrayaan-5 mission will include a 250-kilogram rover designed to study the moon’s surface. Narayanan emphasized that the mission is set to take place in collaboration with Japan, and is expected to conduct detailed studies of the Moon’s surface and composition.

India has been active in its moon missions, starting with Chandrayaan-1 in 2008, which collected valuable data on the moon. Subsequent missions, like Chandrayaan-2, aimed at studying the moon’s topography and mineral composition using an orbiter, lander, and rover. While the Chandrayaan-2’s orbiter continues to provide high-resolution images, its rover experienced some issues at the end of its mission.

Recently, Chandrayaan-3’s lander, named Vikram, successfully soft-landed on the Moon’s South Pole. The government has also approved plans for Chandrayaan-4, aimed at collecting and returning lunar samples to Earth by 2027. Alongside its lunar missions, India is preparing for its first-ever manned space mission, the Gaganyaan Mission, by 2028.

Elsewhere, there is a renewed interest in lunar exploration, as nations and private entities see the moon as a potential hub for further space exploration and development.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/india-approves-chandrayaan-5-moon-mission/a-71939412?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf