Centre approves Chandrayaan-5 mission to Moon: ISRO chief

 

 

ISRO chairman V Narayanan said that the Centre has recently accorded approval for the ambitious Chandrayaan-5 mission as part of building capability towards achieving the goal of an Indian landing on the Moon by 2040. He further detailed that the space agency has been tasked with realising the ambition of India’s Space Station by 2035. At an event to felicitate him for taking over as the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, ISRO Chairman talked about future projects of the space agency. “Many projects are there. Chandrayaan 4 has to land and collect samples. Chandrayaan 5 got approval three days ago and will have a 350 kg rover.

 

Japan and India have collaborated to work on the mission.” The ISRO has successfully executed three Chandrayaan missions, and the latest, Chandryaan-3, resulted in a safe and soft landing on the moon. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said last year that the Government approved the Chandrayaan-4 mission, which will demonstrate the capability of landing on the Moon and the safe return to earth, including technologies for sample collection.

 

The Chandrayaan-5/ LuPEX mission is being planned to demonstrate the higher capacity lander, which is an important element for future landing missions, including human landings on the lunar surface. Further, India has also announced that it will have its own Space Station, the “Bharatiya Antriksh Station,” by 2035. The ISRO chairman said, “We have also planned to create a Space Station for us and the Government is asking for a plan for Indians to be sent to moon in an Indian-made rocket and should be returned back.”