India's Planned Lunar Sample Return Mission Moves Closer with 2027 Target

 NEW DELHI, India—India’s ambitious lunar exploration program is set to take a giant leap with the forthcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission, which has the complex goal of successfully collecting lunar samples and returning them to Earth. This mission builds directly on the success of Chandrayaan-3, which achieved a soft landing near the Moon's south pole in August 2023.

A Complex Five-Module Mission

The Chandrayaan-4 mission, spearheaded by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is officially a lunar sample return mission. Its objectives are comprehensive:

• To perform a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface.

• To demonstrate the collection and containerization of lunar samples.

• To achieve ascent from the Moon's surface.

• To perform crucial rendezvous and docking maneuvers in orbit (both Earth and lunar).

• To successfully return the collected samples to Earth for scientific study.

The spacecraft is notably more complex than its predecessors, consisting of five modules—a Propulsion Module, a Lander 1xbet promo code today egypt Module, an Ascender Module, a Transfer Module, and a Re-entry Module. It will be launched in two phases aboard two separate LVM3 rockets. Crucially, the final spacecraft will be assembled in Earth orbit through a docking maneuver, a key technological demonstration for ISRO.

Target Launch and Significance

The mission is currently expected to launch around 2027. ISRO officials have confirmed that the conceptual and design phases are nearing completion. The landing site is planned to be near the Statio Shiv Shakti point, the successful landing site of Chandrayaan-3. The mission aims to bring back up to 3 kg of lunar soil (regolith).

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has stated that Chandrayaan-4 is a foundational mission that will validate critical technologies needed for India's long-term goal of a crewed lunar landing by 2040.

In the roadmap of India's space endeavors, this mission precedes the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX), a collaborative effort with Japan's JAXA, which is also aimed at exploring the Moon's polar region. The successful execution of the sample return and orbital docking maneuvers in Chandrayaan-4 will position India as one of only a few nations capable of executing such highly complex space missions.