The National Space Commission has cleared the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission or Lupex. This will be India’s fifth lunar mission.

After the success of Chandrayaan-3, Lupex mission will be a big step towards accomplishing lunar ambitions of India.

About Lupex

Lunar Polar Exploration Mission or Lupex will be jointly carried by India and Japan. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are working together in this project. JAXA will build the rover and rocket of Lupex, while the ISRO will develop the lander system. The Lupex rover will be larger than that of Chandrayaan-3’s rover. It can weigh upto 350 kg.

The Lupex will land at the exact lunar south-pole which is 90 degree latitude. It will explore the moon for water and other resources. Along with that, this mission aims to send an Indian to the moon and bring him/her back safe. Reportedly, the Lupex can live upto 100 days on lunar mission. This mission aims to explore and find possibilities in the dark and shadowed regions of the Moon.

Crucial Mission for India’s Lunar Aspirations

The Hindu quoted the director of Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Anil Bharadwaj over this Mission who said that the Lupex mission will be very useful for sampling missions and landing of humans on lunar surface by the 2040. He said, “In our previous lunar missions, we have already successfully demonstrated orbiting, landing and rovering. The next step is that we should bring something back from the moon. That is why we are participating in the Lupex mission which is going to be very useful for future sampling missions and landing of humans on the surface of the moon by 2040.”

TOI reported that the mission is at technological discussion level and Japan has given its commitment. The agreement between both the space agencies was signed in 2017 but inability to demonstrate soft-landing of the lander on lunar surface delayed the project. So, Chandrayaan-3 was planned and the landing was successful. Success of Chandrayaan-3 prompted that some re-engineering would be required for Lupex.

According to ISRO chairman, S Somanath, Lupex is a crucial mission in realising India’s long-term lunar goals. He said that the mission couldn’t be the repetition of what has already been done, so they added features that would make human landing easier and successful.

The Space commission has approved the mission but it awaits Centre’s clearance. ISRO Chairman stated that the mission will be soon put up for Cabinet’s clearance.

Notably, the Union Cabinet had approved the Chandrayaan 4 mission on September 18 and PM Narendra Modi informed about the same on his X handle.

It would make everyone proud that Chandrayaan-4 has been cleared by the Cabinet! This would have multiple benefits, including making India even more self-reliant in space technologies, boosting innovation and supporting academia. https://t.co/ZWLMPeRrYh

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 18, 2024

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