ISRO's Chandrayaan-4 Mission To Make India Fourth Nation To Bring Back Lunar Samples

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for its next lunar mission, Chandrayaan-4, which aims to return moon rocks and soil (regolith) to Earth.

This mission will utilise two separate rockets — the heavy-lifter LVM-3 and ISRO's reliable workhorse PSLV — to carry distinct payloads for the same lunar mission, as per a report by The Economic Times.

The objective of Chandrayaan-4, as outlined in a recent presentation by ISRO chairman S Somanath at the National Space Science Symposium, is to collect samples from the lunar surface and safely return them to Earth for scientific studies.

Scheduled for launch no earlier than 2028, Chandrayaan-4 will make India one of the few nations capable of collecting samples from the lunar surface and safely bringing them back to Earth for analysis.

The mission will comprise five spacecraft modules: the propulsion module, descender module, ascender module, transfer module, and re-entry module.

This comprehensive setup sets Chandrayaan-4 apart from previous Moon missions, which typically involved 2-3 modules. Its primary objective is to collect lunar samples, which will provide valuable insights for scientific studies.

The successful completion of Chandrayaan-4 would establish India as the fourth nation globally to achieve the capability of returning samples from the lunar surface.

This ambitious mission underscores ISRO's commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration and advancing India's position in space research and technology.