India’s space program continues to soar to new heights with the approval of Chandrayaan-4, the country’s fourth lunar mission. This ambitious endeavor has sparked hope and excitement within the scientific community, as it promises to bring back lunar samples to Earth.
The mission, scheduled for launch in 2027, will involve a two-rocket system. The first rocket, similar to the GSLV MkIII, will carry an ascender module and a descender module to the moon. The second rocket will be launched later, delivering the necessary components for the sample return. Once on the lunar surface, the descender module will utilize a robotic arm to collect samples of lunar soil and rocks. These samples will then be transferred to the ascender module for their journey back to Earth.
The success of Chandrayaan-4 will mark a pivotal milestone in India’s space program. It will validate the critical technologies needed for a sample return mission, paving the way for future human space exploration. Experts believe that India’s ambitions of sending an astronaut to the moon are within reach, with Chandrayaan-4 serving as a critical stepping stone.
“We should be able to land a lander there and collect stones and lunar soil and bring it back to the orbiter, and with this orbiter, we should come back and land safely and retribute,” said Tapan Misra, former director of the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad. He emphasized that this mission represents the “first step towards sending an Indian astronaut to the Moon.”
The government’s approval of Chandrayaan-4 comes on the heels of the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, which landed on the moon in August 2023. This mission demonstrated two key technologies: the ability to send a spacecraft to the moon and bring it back to Earth, and the ability to fire a rocket after a 14-day wait on the lunar surface. These technological breakthroughs have solidified India’s position as a leading player in space exploration.
With Chandrayaan-4, India continues its relentless pursuit of scientific knowledge and technological advancement. This mission is a testament to the country’s ambition and commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration, with future human spaceflight on the horizon.
