India is setting its sights on the moon once more as it is aiming to launch the ambitious Chandrayaan-4 mission in 2028. This upcoming mission, led by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), seeks to return samples from the moon’s south pole. The mission plans to retrieve 3 kilograms of lunar material from areas believed to hold water ice, with the goal of bringing these samples safely back to Earth. During a recent address in New Delhi, ISRO’s Chairman S. Somanath detailed this plan, highlighting its importance within India’s expanding space programme. The programme recently received increased government backing of Rs. 21 billion (around $250 million).
Two-Launch Strategy to Capture and Return Lunar Samples
The Chandrayaan-4 mission will involve a complex multi-stage approach to ensure the successful collection and return of lunar samples. The mission will require two separate launches aboard ISRO’s LVM-3 rockets. The first launch will carry a lunar lander and an ascender vehicle that will gather samples. The second launch will deploy a transfer module and a reentry vehicle that will remain in lunar orbit. After the samples are collected, the ascender will transfer them to the reentry module in lunar orbit, which will then return to Earth.
To prepare for the mission’s in-orbit docking requirements, ISRO will conduct a docking experiment, SPADEX, worth $14 million, to test this technique in a real-world environment. This experiment, set for late 2024 or early 2025, aims to refine skills critical for the mission’s success.
Expanding Partnerships and Future Lunar Ambitions
India’s collaboration with Japan will also play a key role in its lunar exploration plans. Following Chandrayaan-4, ISRO and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will work together on Chandrayaan-5, also known as the Lunar Polar Exploration Project (LUPEX). JAXA will contribute a 350-kilogram rover for this mission, a significant step up from the Pragyan rover used on Chandrayaan-3.
The Chandrayaan series of missions represents India’s drive to establish a human presence on the moon by 2040 and explore long-term options for a lunar base by 2050. Somanath and ISRO remain committed to reaching these ambitious milestones, seeing them as essential steps towards India’s vision of space leadership. India plans to launch Chandrayaan-4 in 2028 to collect moon samples!