The Centre has given its approval for the Chandrayaan-5 mission, marking another step towards India’s ambitious lunar exploration programme, ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan announced on Sunday.
The space agency has also been tasked with developing India’s own space station by 2035.
Speaking at a felicitation event in Chennai, Narayanan outlined ISRO’s future projects, stating, “Many projects are there. Chandrayaan-4 has to land and collect samples. Chandrayaan-5 got approval three days ago and will have a 350 kg rover. Japan and India have collaborated to work on the mission.”
India has previously launched three Chandrayaan missions, with the latest, Chandrayaan-3, successfully achieving a soft landing on the lunar surface.
The upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission has been planned to demonstrate key technologies, including sample collection and safe return to Earth.
The Chandrayaan-5/LuPEX mission, Narayanan explained, would further test the capabilities of a higher-capacity lander, a crucial step towards future manned lunar expeditions.
The ISRO Chairman reaffirmed that the government’s long-term vision includes sending Indian astronauts to the Moon in an indigenous spacecraft.
“We have also planned to create a space station for us, and the government is asking for a plan for Indians to be sent to the Moon in an Indian-made rocket and should be returned back,” he said.
Highlighting ISRO’s recent achievements, Narayanan noted that India has successfully designed and launched 131 satellites.
“We have given them to SAARC countries... We have achieved a feat that no other country has achieved in 34 days. There has been tremendous development in the last ten years. We have successfully sent 433 satellites from our Indian soil, achieving a record 90 per cent success rate,” he stated.
He recalled the setback of Chandrayaan-2, which failed to achieve a soft landing, describing it as a “very troubling” experience.
Also read: India earns 1243 cr from foreign satellite launches
“It felt that all years of hard work seemed like a waste,” he admitted.
However, he noted that the mission still provided valuable data, contributing to the success of Chandrayaan-3.
During the last decade, between January 2015 and December 2024, ISRO has launched 393 foreign satellites and three Indian customer satellites on a commercial basis using the PSLV, LVM3, and SSLV launch vehicles.
The agency has facilitated the launch of satellites for 34 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, and Israel.
Kulasekarapattinam spaceport and solar research
At the event, Narayanan also spoke about the upcoming launch pad at Kulasekarapattinam in Tamil Nadu, calling it “the right choice” for future rocket launches.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had remotely laid the foundation stone for India’s second spaceport on 28 February 2024, with construction commencing on 5 March.
The new launch complex aims to support polar launches of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), strengthening India’s position in the global small satellite market.
The SSLV, now fully developed, will soon be produced by Indian industry partners.
Meanwhile, Narayanan emphasised ISRO’s focus on solar research, noting, “Our Chandrayaan-1 found water on the Moon and made Indians proud. Chandrayaan-2 didn’t soft-land but provided thousands of images. Chandrayaan-3 landed on the South Pole, making us the first country to do so. Now, we need to study the Sun. We have launched a satellite for that also. We are the fourth country in the world to launch a satellite to study the Sun.”
Reflecting on his journey, Narayanan expressed gratitude to his predecessors and colleagues, particularly former ISRO chief K. Sivan. “I have never seen anyone who worked as hard as Sivan,” he remarked.
He also conveyed appreciation for Prime Minister Modi, saying, “PM has only one goal, and that is a developed country.”
The felicitation ceremony was attended by former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, former MLA Vijayadharani, former Chennai Mayor Saidai Duraisamy, and several other dignitaries.
Follow us
