ISRO, JAXA to collaborate on Chandrayaan-5 mission: PM Modi
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed a major collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan's space agency, JAXA. The partnership is for the Chandrayaan-5 mission, also known as the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX). The announcement was made during an interview with Japanese newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun.
Mission details
Mission to launch in 2027-28
The Chandrayaan-5 mission will use Japan's H3 rocket and is scheduled for launch in 2027-28. Its main objective is to explore the Moon's south polar region, with a focus on finding and studying water ice. As part of this collaboration, JAXA will build the rover while ISRO will provide the lander.
Strategic partnership
'Partnership is building an ecosystem where innovation flows both ways'
Modi emphasized the significance of this government-to-government collaboration in space between ISRO and JAXA. He said it is creating a culture of cooperation between industries and start-ups in both countries. The PM also stressed that this partnership is building an ecosystem where innovation flows both ways—from labs to launch pads, and from research to real-world applications.
Mission significance
Space is not a final frontier, but a new one
Modi said he was "glad that India and Japan are joining hands for the next edition of the Chandrayaan series or the LUPEX mission." He added that this would deepen our understanding of permanently shadowed regions at the lunar south pole. Modi also reflected on India's space achievements, highlighting how they have shown that space is not a final frontier but a new one to explore.