Why in the News?

An ISRO–JAXA delegation reviewed preparations for Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX), India’s joint lunar mission with Japan, targeted for 2028. ISRO also informed Parliament that the Crew and Service Modules for the Gaganyaan-1 uncrewed mission are nearing completion.

What is Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX)?

• Full Name: Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX).
• A joint lunar mission of ISRO and JAXA.
• Target Launch: 2028.
• Objective: Explore and study water and water ice at the Moon’s south polar region.

Mission Components

• Lander: Developed by ISRO.
• Rover: Developed by JAXA.
• Launch Vehicle: Japan’s H3 Rocket.
• Scientific Payloads:
  • NASA: Neutron Spectrometer.
  • ESA: Mass Spectrometer.
• Mission Duration: Around 100 days.
• Scientific Instruments: 7 across the lander and rover.

Mission Objectives

• Detect and analyse surface and subsurface water ice.
• Study the lunar south pole.
• Support future human lunar exploration and resource utilisation.

What is the status of Gaganyaan-1?

• Gaganyaan-1 is an uncrewed precursor mission.
• Crew and Service Modules are in the final stages of assembly and testing.
• Intended to validate: Crew Module, Service Module, Crew Escape System, Life Support Systems
• Launch has been delayed, and a revised schedule is yet to be announced.

Significance

• Strengthens India–Japan space cooperation.
• Demonstrates multi-agency collaboration involving ISRO, JAXA, NASA, and ESA.
• Advances lunar science and technologies for future exploration.
• Supports India’s long-term human spaceflight ambitions under Gaganyaan.

Challenges

• Budget and resource constraints across multiple space missions.
• Integration of ISRO’s lander with JAXA’s rover.
• Dependence on Japan’s H3 launch vehicle.
• Delays in the Gaganyaan programme.

Chandrayaan Missions

• Chandrayaan-1 (2008): Confirmed the presence of water molecules on the Moon.
• Chandrayaan-2 (2019): Orbiter remains operational; lander hard-landed.
• Chandrayaan-3 (2023): India became the first country to achieve a soft landing near the lunar south pole.
• Chandrayaan-4: Planned Indian mission for lunar sample return.
• Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX): Joint ISRO–JAXA mission to explore lunar polar water ice.

Gaganyaan Programme

• India’s first human spaceflight mission.
• Objective: Demonstrate the capability to send Indian astronauts to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and return them safely.
• Implemented by ISRO.

ISRO’s Major International Collaborations

• JAXA: Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX).
• NASA: NISAR mission and Chandrayaan payloads.
• ESA: Scientific payloads and deep-space support.

[2025] Consider the following space missions:
I. Axiom-4
II. SpaDeX
III. Gaganyaan
How many of the space missions given above encourage and support microgravity research?

[A] Only one

[B] Only two

[C] All the three

[D] None