Gaganyaan to launch in 2026, Chandrayaan-4 in 2028: ISRO chief
ISRO Chairperson S Somanath has revealed new timelines for India's future space missions. The country's first crewed spaceflight project Gaganyaan will now launch in 2026 instead of next year. Meanwhile, the lunar sample return mission Chandrayaan-4 will take off in 2028. Somanath made the announcements while speaking at the Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture at Akashvani (All India Radio).
ISRO and JAXA to collaborate on Chandrayaan-5
Somanath also revealed plans for Chandrayaan-5, a joint Moon-landing mission with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The mission, which was originally named LUPEX or Lunar Polar Exploration, will be conducted after 2028. "It would be a very heavy mission in which the lander would be provided by India while the rover would come from Japan," Somanath explained.
Chandrayaan-5: A significant leap in lunar exploration
The Chandrayaan-5 mission will be a lot more complex than previous missions. The rover for this mission will weigh approximately 350kg, a major jump from the 27kg rover that was used in Chandrayaan-3. "It is a science-heavy mission which would take us one step closer to landing human beings on the moon," Somanath said, emphasizing its significance in lunar exploration.
Ambitious plan for manned Moon mission
ISRO has set an ambitious goal of conducting a manned mission to the Moon by 2040. The upcoming missions, including Gaganyaan and Chandrayaan-4, are critical steps toward achieving this goal and further establishing India as a major player in global space research and exploration.
ISRO aims to boost India's global space sector contribution
In his address, Somanath highlighted the need to expand India's space sector. He set a target to increase its global contribution to at least 10% within this decade, a major jump from the current 2%. To achieve this growth, he stressed on the importance of private sector participation and policies promoting entrepreneurship. "Several industries, big and small, have expressed interest in investing in the space sector," Somanath said.
