On Tuesday, ISRO Chairman S. Somanath announced that the space agency has finalized the designs for its next moon missions, Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5, and is now awaiting government approval.
The Chandrayaan-4 mission aims to achieve several key goals: landing softly on the moon, collecting rock and soil samples, launching a spacecraft from the lunar surface, testing a docking experiment in lunar orbit, and returning the samples to Earth.
Chandrayaan 4-5 Design Complete
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has finished designing its upcoming moon missions, Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5, and is now seeking government approval, according to ISRO Chairman S. Somanath on August 20.
The goal of the Chandrayaan-4 mission is to return lunar rocks and soil to Earth. If successful, India will become the fourth country to achieve this feat.
Somanath shared this update with reporters in New Delhi during an event hosted by the All India Council for Technical Education and the Indian Space Association, noting that with Chandrayaan-3 completed, they are now focused on getting approval for the new missions.
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ISRO’s Upcoming Satellite Launches
ISRO has set its sights on launching the Chandrayaan-4 mission in 2028. In addition, the space agency plans to deploy 70 satellites over the next five years. This includes a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites to support various government ministries and departments.
Among these satellites are four dedicated to the NAVIC regional navigation system, which will enhance positioning, navigation, and timing services. Other planned satellites include INSAT 4D for weather monitoring, Resourcesat series for resource management, and Cartosat satellites for high-resolution remote sensing.
ISRO also aims to advance its technology with the Oceansat series and the development of Technology Demonstration Satellites 01 and 02, which will showcase electric propulsion and quantum key distribution technologies.
Additionally, the agency is working on data relay satellites for the Gaganyaan mission, high-throughput satellites for internet connectivity, and the GSAT satellite, which is set to be launched by SpaceX’s Falcon rocket in the US.
Moreover, ISRO will be introducing a new series of Earth observation satellites within the next five years.
ISRO Delays Venus Mission
The ISRO chief recently announced that the agency has postponed its planned mission to Venus. “We are re-evaluating the mission,” he stated.
Regarding the Gaganyaan project, the first unmanned mission is set for launch in December. All rocket stages are now at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Meanwhile, the Crew Module is being prepared at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, and the service module is being assembled at the U R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. The Crew Escape system has also arrived at Sriharikota.
“All components will be at Sriharikota within the next one to one-and-a-half months for final testing and integration,” he added.
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Chandrayaan 4-5 Design Complete FAQs
Q.1. What are the goals of the Chandrayaan-4 mission?
Ans. Chandrayaan-4 aims to achieve a soft lunar landing, collect samples, launch a spacecraft from the moon, test docking in lunar orbit, and return samples to Earth.
Q.2. When is the Chandrayaan-4 mission expected to launch?
Ans. The Chandrayaan-4 mission is planned for launch in 2028.
Q.3. Why has ISRO postponed its Venus mission?
Ans. ISRO has postponed the Venus mission to re-evaluate the project’s details and strategy.
Q.4. What are the upcoming ISRO satellite launches?
Ans. ISRO plans to launch 70 satellites over the next five years, including those for NAVIC, weather monitoring, resource management, and remote sensing.
Q.5. What is the status of the Gaganyaan project?
Ans. The first unmanned Gaganyaan mission is set for December, with all rocket stages and components undergoing final preparations and testing at various ISRO centers.
