Lunar Link-Up: India & Japan Set Sights on Moon With Chandrayaan-5

India and Japan are poised to launch Chandrayaan-5-named the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission-a landmark lunar mission to the south pole of the Moon, one of the least explored but scientifically richest regions. Cleared officially in March 2025, the mission is the first collaborative effort by ISRO and Japan's JAXA, with contributions from NASA and the European Space Agency as well.

 

The Chandrayaan-5 will be flown on JAXA's H3-24L rocket using an Indian lander and a Japanese rover designed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The rover, weighing approximately 250–400 kg-much heavier than any of the Indian rovers before-will be equipped with advanced instruments: water analyzers, spectrometers, ground-penetrating radar, and a 1.5-meter drill. Its primary mission is to search permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) for water ice and other volatiles, drilling deep beneath the lunar surface to sample and analyze regolith directly for water content and purity.

 

The mission's findings can be crucial for the future human habitation of the moon since water can be utilized to support human life and also produce fuel. Chandrayaan-5 also cements India's and Japan's positions in the global space race, fostering international cooperation and technological innovation in lunar exploration.

 

Source: Business Today, ISRO, Times of India