UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 17 March 2025

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Centre has approved Chandrayaan-5 mission

Why in News:

The Centre has recently accorded approval for the ambitious Chandrayaan-5 mission to study the Moon.

Introduction:

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has received approval from the central government for the ambitious Chandrayaan-5 mission, which aims to conduct advanced studies of the Moon.
The announcement was made by ISRO Chairman V Narayanan on March 16, 2025, at an event held to felicitate him for taking over as the head of the space agency.
Unlike the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which carried the 25-kg rover ‘Pragyaan’, the Chandrayaan-5 mission will be equipped with a significantly larger 250-kg rover.
The mission will be undertaken in collaboration with Japan, marking a new phase in India’s international space partnerships.

Evolution of India's Lunar Exploration Program

Chandrayaan-1 (2008): India’s First Lunar Mission: Launched in 2008, Chandrayaan-1 was India’s maiden mission to the Moon. It successfully conducted:

Chemical and mineralogical mapping of the lunar surface
High-resolution photo-geological mapping
The discovery of water molecules on the Moon, a major breakthrough in planetary science

Chandrayaan-2 (2019): A Major Step Forward: The Chandrayaan-2 mission, launched in 2019, was designed as a comprehensive exploration mission comprising:

An orbiter (which continues to function)
A lander (Vikram), which crash-landed due to technical issues
A rover (Pragyaan), which could not be deployed

Despite the partial failure of the lander, 98% of the mission objectives were achieved. The orbiter’s high-resolution camera continues to send valuable images of the Moon.

Chandrayaan-3 (2023): A Historic Success: Chandrayaan-3 was launched as a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2, with the primary objective of demonstrating safe landing and roving on the lunar surface.

The Vikram lander successfully soft-landed on the Moon’s south pole on August 23, 2023, making India the first country to achieve this feat.
The Pragyaan rover explored the surface, analyzing lunar soil and rocks.

This success solidified India’s position as a leading spacefaring nation.

Chandrayaan-4 (Expected Launch: 2027)

Chandrayaan-4 aims to collect lunar soil and rock samples and bring them back to Earth.

If successful, India will join the US, Russia, and China in achieving a sample return mission.

Chandrayaan-5: Objectives and Significance

Larger and More Advanced Rover: The 250-kg rover on Chandrayaan-5 is significantly heavier than its predecessors and will be equipped with:

Advanced scientific instruments for geological and mineralogical analysis
Enhanced mobility and communication systems to traverse the lunar surface efficiently.

International Collaboration with Japan

Chandrayaan-5 will be conducted in partnership with Japan’s space agency (JAXA).
Japan’s expertise in robotics and lunar exploration will complement ISRO’s capabilities, enhancing the mission’s scientific output.

Potential Landing Site and Scientific Studies

The mission is expected to explore previously uncharted regions of the Moon.
It will focus on studying the Moon’s surface composition, seismic activity, and potential resources such as helium-3, which has applications in future nuclear fusion energy.

Other Lunar Missions: A Global Overview

Several countries and space agencies have been actively involved in lunar exploration, with missions aimed at studying the Moon’s surface, geology, atmosphere, and potential resources. Below is an overview of key past, present, and upcoming lunar missions by different nations.

Past Lunar Missions

Soviet Union (USSR) – Luna Program (1959-1976)
- Luna 2 (1959): First spacecraft to impact the Moon.
- Luna 9 (1966): First successful soft landing on the Moon.
- Luna 16 (1970): First robotic sample return.

United States – Apollo Program (1961-1972)
- Apollo 11 (1969): First manned Moon landing, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
- Apollo 17 (1972): Last Apollo mission, included longest stay and greatest amount of lunar samples collected.
China – Chang’e Program (2007-Present)
- Chang’e 3 (2013): First Chinese rover (Yutu-1) landed on the Moon.
- Chang’e 4 (2019): First landing on the Moon’s far side, deploying Yutu-2 rover.
- Chang’e 5 (2020): Successful lunar sample return mission.
Israel – Beresheet Mission (2019)
- Attempted private Moon landing but crash-landed.

Ongoing and Upcoming Lunar Missions

China – Chang’e 6, 7, and 8 (2024-2030)
- Chang’e 6 (2024): Aims to return samples from the Moon’s far side.
- Chang’e 7 (2026): Focused on searching for water ice at the lunar south pole.
- Chang’e 8 (2028-2030): Will test lunar base-building technologies.
United States – Artemis Program (2022-Present)
- Artemis I (2022): Uncrewed test of Orion spacecraft around the Moon.
- Artemis II (2025, Planned): First crewed mission to orbit the Moon since Apollo.
- Artemis III (2026, Planned): Aims to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon.
- Artemis IV & V (2027-2029): Focus on constructing Lunar Gateway, a Moon-orbiting space station.
Russia – Luna Resurgence Missions (2023-Present)
- Luna 25 (2023): Attempted soft landing, but crashed.
- Luna 26 (2027, Planned): Orbiter for mapping lunar resources.
- Luna 27 (2028, Planned): Aims to study lunar ice deposits.
India – Chandrayaan-4 & Chandrayaan-5
- Chandrayaan-4 (2028): First sample return mission for ISRO.
- Chandrayaan-5 (2030, Planned): Joint mission with Japan’s JAXA to explore shadowed lunar regions.
Japan – SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, 2024)
- Aims for precision landing technology on lunar terrain.
South Korea – KPLO (Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, 2022-Present)
- Successfully orbiting the Moon, mapping resources.
European Space Agency (ESA) – HERACLES (2027-2030)
- Designed to land, collect samples, and return them via Lunar Gateway.
United Arab Emirates – Rashid Rover (2024, Planned)
- UAE’s first lunar rover, focused on lunar dust and surface studies.