The Chandrayaan 5 mission, a collaborative effort between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), is set to explore the potential of subsurface water ice on the Moon. Dubbed the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission, it will utilize the H3 rocket, provided by JAXA, for launch from the Tanegashima space center in Japan.
ISRO will contribute the lander, equipped with a flip-out ramp for deploying the rover onto the lunar surface. The rover, provided by JAXA, will carry payloads from the USA, Europe, India, and Japan. Upon reaching the Moon, India will operate the lander, while Japan will control the rover.
Scientists believe that the permanently shadowed craters near the Moon's south pole hold surface deposits of water ice. However, these craters pose significant challenges for exploration. The LUPEX rover will investigate the feasibility of accessing water from subsurface deposits. Equipped with ground penetrating radar, the rover will search for water deposits around the landing site. Once identified, the rover will drill into the lunar regolith to extract water from the recovered material.
The Chandrayaan 5/LUPEX mission aims to enhance our understanding of the quantity and accessibility of subsurface water on the Moon. This knowledge is crucial for future lunar exploration, as water can be used to generate oxygen for astronauts, grow crops, and produce rocket fuel, potentially reducing the cost of missions to the outer Solar System.
ISRO is planning to launch the Chandrayaan 4 sample return mission to the Moon in 2027. The Chandrayaan 5 mission is scheduled for launch between 2028 and 2029. India has set a target of landing a human crew on the Moon by 2035.