India-Japan Collaborate for Chandrayaan-5: A Leap in Lunar Exploration

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday celebrated the collaboration between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for the ambitious Chandrayaan-5 mission. This initiative, part of the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission, aims to uncover the moon's south pole resources, including elusive lunar water.

Following bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Modi expressed enthusiasm for the partnership as a symbol of mankind's progress in space. The Implementing Arrangement between ISRO and JAXA outlines cooperation terms, marking a historic collaboration exchange witnessed by JAXA Vice President Matsuura Mayumi and Ambassador Sibi George.

Modi referenced the success of Chandrayaan-3's 2023 south pole landing, underlining the subsequent challenge of deeper lunar exploration for resources like water ice. He praised Japanese technology and Indian ingenuity as a winning combination, anticipating rapid advances in multiple sectors, spurred by the Next Generation Mobility Partnership.

During the 15th India-Japan Annual Summit, leaders discussed technology and space cooperation. In an interview with 'The Yomiuri Shimbun,' Modi reiterated India's expansive space ambitions and the pivotal role of the LUPEX mission in exploring the moon's often shadowed south pole regions. He emphasized that bilateral collaborations are fostering ties between industries and startups in both nations.

Chandrayaan-5 will be launched by JAXA's H3-24L vehicle, carrying an ISRO lunar lander and a Japan-made rover, along with scientific instruments. As part of India's lunar odyssey, Chandrayaan-5/ LUPEX represents a step towards the goal of sending Indian astronauts to the moon by 2040.