India’s Targets Lunar South Pole For Chandrayaan-4 Lunar Sample Return Mission

India’s space agency, ISRO, is set to launch its most ambitious lunar mission yet with Chandrayaan-4, aiming to land near the Moon’s south pole to collect samples and return them to Earth.

The mission will consist of two separate stacks launched on two rockets, targeting a landing between 85 and 90 degrees latitude in the lunar southern hemisphere.

“The mission will target the vicinity of the lunar south pole,” - ISRO’s P. Veeramuthuvel

The Chandrayaan-4 mission will attempt to gather around three kilograms of lunar material, primarily from the subsurface where water-ice deposits are thought to be located. ISRO will employ new technologies, including surface scooping and drilling to a depth of about two meters.

While the precise landing site is still under study, ISRO has indicated it could be near Shiv Shakti Point, the site of Chandrayaan-3’s successful landing earlier this year at around 69 degrees latitude. The mission will involve landing, sample collection, docking in lunar orbit, and returning to Earth—an effort that will also demonstrate India’s capabilities for future crewed lunar missions.

The mission is set to launch between 2027 and 2028, with each stack weighing 4.6 tons, bringing the total mission mass to 9.2 tons. Both will be launched on LVM-3 rockets and dock in geosynchronous transfer orbit before traveling together to the Moon.

Chandrayaan-5 and Japan Collaboration

India is also collaborating with Japan’s space agency, JAXA, on the upcoming Chandrayaan-5/LUPEX mission, targeting a landing near Shackleton crater at the lunar south pole.

Scheduled for launch around 2028-2029, this mission will explore permanently shadowed regions for potential water-ice deposits.

For LUPEX, India will provide the lander and mission planning, while Japan will contribute the launch vehicle and rover. The rover will cover up to a kilometer, conducting scientific measurements using instruments such as ground-penetrating radar and water analysis devices.

Success of Chandrayaan-3 and India’s Future Space Goals

The announcement of Chandrayaan-4 comes after India’s successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made a historic landing near the Moon’s south pole, marking a significant leap for ISRO in lunar exploration. The success has sparked further ambitions for India’s space program, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing plans to land Indian astronauts on the Moon by 2040 and to establish a space station by 2035.

“India should now aim for new and ambitious goals, including setting up a Bharatiya Antariksha Station (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending the first Indian to the moon by 2040,” - India Government Statement

India is also progressing toward its first crewed spaceflight, with the Gaganyaan mission expected to launch in 2025.

In addition to lunar missions, India is expanding its space exploration portfolio, with plans for interplanetary missions, including a Venus orbiter and a Mars lander, further positioning the country as a rising power in global space exploration.

India’s increasing involvement in space, highlighted by the recent Aditya L1 solar observatory and these ambitious lunar missions, points to a future where the country plays a key role in humanity’s return to the Moon and beyond.