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The Space Commission also approved a joint moon mission with Japan called the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission. For LUPEX, ISRO is developing a different moon lander than the one it used for Chandrayaan-3

New Space Missions and Developments

• Chandrayaan-4 (Moon Mission):
  • Type: Sample-return mission.
  • Launch: Expected by 2027.
  • Cost: ?2,104 crore.
  • Objective: Sample collection of moon soil and rock to return to Earth.
  • Mission Details: Two LVM-3 launch vehicles will launch components that will dock in Earth orbit before heading to the moon. The samples will be sent back using a bespoke canister.
• Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX):
  • Collaboration: Joint mission with Japan.
  • Objective: Exploration of lunar poles with a new lander design, intended for potential crewed missions in future.
• Venus Orbiter Mission:
  • Launch Window: March 2028.
  • Cost: ?1,236 crore.
  • Objective: Study Venus' surface and atmosphere to understand planetary evolution in the Solar System.
• Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV):
  • Development Budget: ?8,240 crore for first three development flights.
  • Objective: A new launcher developed with private sector collaboration for future space missions.

Cabinet Approvals for Space Initiatives

• Human Spaceflight Programme (Gaganyaan):
  • Four new missions under Gaganyaan, including an uncrewed Gaganyaan flight.
  • Focus on developing technologies for India’s first space station, Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS), planned by 2028.
• Space-Based Surveillance (SBS) Missions:
  • Phase 3: Approval for building 21 ISRO satellites, with 31 additional satellites by private companies.
  • Total Cost: ?26,968 crore.
• Development of a Third Launch Pad:
  • To support the NGLV and additional space missions at Sriharikota.

Upcoming Satellite Missions

• NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar):
  • Launch: Early 2025 on a GSAT launch vehicle.
  • Purpose: Earth observation using advanced radar technology.
  • Issue: Protective coating added due to high temperatures during testing.
• Proba-3 (European Space Agency):
  • Launch: November 29, 2024, aboard PSLV-XL.
  • Objective: Study the Sun’s corona using two satellites in formation, mimicking an eclipse to capture unique solar data.

Private Sector Involvement

• Manastu Space & Dhruva Space:
  • Collaboration: Testing green propulsion technology for the LEAP-3 mission.
  • Technology: Hydrogen-peroxide-based green propulsion system.
  • Launch: LEAP-3 mission in 2025.
• Bellatrix Aerospace:
  • Project: Prototype satellite for ultra-low earth orbit at 200 km altitude.
• Ananth Technologies:
  • Achievement: First private company to assemble, integrate, and test Space Docking Experiment (SpaDEx) satellites for ISRO.

Space Science and Research Updates

• Chandrayaan-3:
  • Findings: The crater where Chandrayaan-3 landed is older than the South Pole-Aitken Basin (4.2-4.3 billion years old).
  • Data Source: Optical High-Resolution Camera (Chandrayaan-2) and Pragyaan rover (Chandrayaan-3).
• Astrosat (India’s First Space Observatory):
  • Mission Life: Expected to last two more years (originally planned for 5 years).
  • Significance: Contributed to over 400 published papers based on multi-wavelength space observatory data.