LUPEX Lunar Mission -2025 Together, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) are advancing the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX).
Explore to LUPEX Mission
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have joined forces for an upcoming lunar mission known as the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission or LUPEX.
This collaborative effort might revolutionise lunar exploration and potentially lay the groundwork for sustainable lunar activities.
Significantly, this partnership extends beyond ISRO and JAXA, as the mission will incorporate instruments from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).
LUPEX aims to develop an advanced rover and lander, with recent discussions including plans for a smaller lander during a visit by JAXA’s Saku Tsuneta, Vice-Chair of Japan’s Cabinet Committee on National Space Policy and Director-General of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, to ISRO headquarters.
The mission’s ambitious goals encompass evaluating the feasibility of a sustainable Moon base in the polar region, investigating lunar surface water-ice resources, and showcasing cutting-edge surface exploration technologies.
The Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad is a pivotal player in LUPEX, contributing crucial instruments for detailed measurements on the lunar surface and subsurface.
The Permittivity and Thermo-physical Investigation for Moon’s Aquatic Scout (PRATHIMA) instrument aims to detect and quantify water-ice mixed with lunar soil, achieving in-situ detection and measurement of water content.
Another instrument, the Lunar Electrostatic Dust Experiment (LEDEX), has the role of detecting charged dust particles.
It will explore dust levitation in the polar region while estimating the size and flow of these charged particles
Expected to launch in 2025, the LUPEX mission symbolises global teamwork and advancements in space exploration.
This mission has the potential to reshape understanding of the Moon and facilitate sustainable lunar operations.
In order to become the first nation to successfully land on the Lunar South Pole, India is now engaged in a lunar mission.
Significant cooperation with international space organizations is also involved in the Chandrayaan-3 lunar project, which will launch on July 14, 2023.
Chandrayaan-3: India makes historic landing near Moon’s south poleWith this, India joins an elite club of countries to achieve a soft landing on the Moon, after the US, the former Soviet Union and China. The Vikram lander from Chandrayaan-3 successfully touched down as planned at 18:04 local time (12:34 GMT). Celebrations have broken out across the country, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying “India is now on the Moon”. “We have reached where no other country could. It’s a joyous occasion,” he added. Mr Modi was watching the event live from South Africa where he is attending the Brics summit. Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chief Sreedhara Panicker Somanath said the successful landing “is not our work alone, this is the work of a generation of Isro scientists”. Â
India’s achievement comes just days after Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft spun out of control and crashed into the Moon. The crash also put the spotlight on how difficult it is to land in the south pole region where the surface is “very uneven” and “full of craters and boulders”. India’s second lunar mission, which also attempted to soft-land there in 2019, was unsuccessful – its lander and rover were destroyed, though its orbiter survived. |
Notably, both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have been instrumental in supplying crucial ground station support for communication needs.
Chandrayaan-3 is being tracked by the ESA from its spectacular 15-meter antenna in French Guiana, assuring its continuous operation after launch.
Furthermore, the UK’s Goonhilly Earth Station has actively supported the lander throughout its lunar activities, enabling seamless data flow to ISRO for in-depth study.
NASA has also contributed to this endeavour through its deep space network (DSN), which comprises three distributed satellite systems (DSS) spaced approximately 120 degrees apart in terms of longitude.
These sites are located near Goldstone, close to Barstow, California; in the vicinity of Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia.
The placement of these facilities allows for uninterrupted communication with spacecraft as our planet rotates.
By the time a distant spacecraft’s signal diminishes at one DSN site due to its descent below the horizon, another site can promptly pick up the communication, thus ensuring continuous monitoring.
Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission Features
- Lunar Polar Exploration LUPEX Mission is a joint robotic lunar mission of ISRO and JAXA.
- JAXA will contribute the H3 launch vehicle and rover to the mission, while ISRO will be responsible for the lander.
- The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed an MoU with JAXA to provide instruments for the Japanese rover.
- The payload capacity of the lander is estimated to be a minimum of 350 kg (770 lb).
- The rover will carry multiple instruments from both JAXA and ISRO, the most important being the drill that collects sub-surface samples from 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) depth.
- The mission will use features-matching algorithms and navigation equipment from JAXA’s smart lander to investigate the moon.
Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission – Important Facts
- The Implementation Agreement (IA) for pre-phase A and phase A study of the Lunar Polar Exploration LUPEX Mission was signed by ISRO and JAXA in December 2017. The feasibility report for the same was completed in March 2018.
- ISRO and JAXA held the Joint Mission Definition Review (JMDR) in December 2018. Subsequently, JAXA completed its Internal Project Readiness Review in 2019.
- Further, JAXA has completed the instrument selection for the mission. The systematic requirement review (SRR) for the rover was also completed in 2021.
- India started studying a new lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3, after Chandrayaan-2’s crash landing in 2019. India intends to demonstrate its landing capability with a repeat attempt.
FAQs on Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission
Q 1. What is the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission?
The Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission is a joint robotic lunar mission to explore the moon’s polar region. It will likely showcase new surface exploration technologies related to lunar night survival and vehicular transport.
Q 2. Which space agencies are involved in the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission?
India’s ISRO and Japan’s JAXA are jointly involved in the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission. The two agencies held a meeting in March 2021 to review their ongoing cooperation.
Q 3. What is the target set for the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission?
As per the target set for the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission, together, the Indian and Japanese space agencies intend to send a lander and lunar rover to the South Pole region of the moon by 2024.
4. What is the objective of the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission?
The main objective of the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission is water prospecting and analysis of the moon’s surface.
5. What will be ISRO’s and JAXA’s respective contributions to the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission?
JAXA will contribute the H3 launch vehicle and rover to the mission, while ISRO will be responsible for the lander will be ISRO’s and JAXA’s respective contributions to the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission.
Source PTI
