Chandrayaan 4: India’s Ambitious Lunar Sample Return Mission, India’s Best

India’s space program is gearing up for its most ambitious mission yet: Chandrayaan 4. Not only will this mission involve landing on the Moon, but it will also bring back lunar samples to Earth, a feat previously achieved by only three nations. Let’s delve into the details of this remarkable endeavor.

Chandrayaan 4: The Next Frontier

• Chandrayaan 4 will be launched after India’s much-awaited space mission, Gaganyaan, which aims to send humans to space.
• This advanced mission may take several years to complete, but ISRO is working rapidly to potentially launch it sooner than initially scheduled.
• The latest updates and information about ISRO and the Chandrayaan 4 mission are available on social media and official channels.

A Collaborative Effort

• Chandrayaan 4 is a joint mission between the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Japan’s space agency, JAXA.
• Japan’s H3 rocket is expected to launch this mission, marking a significant international collaboration.

Mission Modules and Responsibilities

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Chandrayaan 4 will consist of five crucial modules, each with a specific function:

• Propulsion Module: Responsible for entering Earth’s orbit and the Moon’s orbit after being ejected from the rocket. This module played a similar role in Chandrayaan 3.
• Descender Module: After separating from the propulsion module, this module will safely land the service module on the lunar surface.
• Ascender Module: Following the collection of lunar samples, this module will fly back to the spacecraft orbiting the Moon and then head towards Earth with the transfer module.
• Transfer Module: Responsible for bringing the collected lunar samples back to Earth.
• Re-entry Module: Ensures the safe landing of the collected samples or the re-entry module on Earth.

Mission Goals:

• Safely landing on the Moon’s surface.
• Collecting and storing lunar samples (regolith).
• Launching the ascent module carrying the samples from the Moon.
• Docking and transferring samples between modules in lunar orbit.
• Re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and delivering the samples for analysis.

Mission Phases

The Chandrayaan 4 mission will be executed in two phases:

1. Launch from Earth: The initial phase will involve launching the spacecraft from Earth.
2. Lunar Sample Collection: After landing on the Moon, Chandrayaan will collect lunar samples.
3. Return to Earth: Following sample collection, Chandrayaan will be launched again from the lunar surface, carrying the samples back to Earth.

Mission Specifications

• At launch, Chandrayaan 4 will weigh approximately 5200 kg.
• Upon its return journey towards Earth, the spacecraft’s weight will be around 1527 kg, having entered Earth’s orbit and shed some weight.

Building on Chandrayaan 3’s Success

• India’s successful Chandrayaan 3 mission paved the way for Chandrayaan 4, consisting of three modules:
  • Propulsion module
  • Lander module
  • Rover module
• The propulsion module facilitated reaching the lunar orbit, while the lander module performed a soft landing on the Moon’s surface.
• The rover collected valuable information about the lunar environment.

Here’s a quick rundown of Chandrayaan-4:

• Mission Type: Lunar Sample Return
• Launch Window: No earlier than 2028 (still in conceptualization phase)
• Goal: Collect and return lunar surface samples for scientific analysis

Dr. Somanath has informed that the design of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station is almost finalized! 🎯

As we know, its first module (which will be an uncrewed module weighing 8t) will be launched on an LVM3 in 2028. #ISRO

New official render of BAS: pic.twitter.com/O42GzqVCOS

— ISRO Spaceflight (@ISROSpaceflight) February 29, 2024

Objectives:

• Soft landing on the Moon’s surface
• Collecting and storing lunar samples
• Launching a module from the Moon carrying the samples
• Docking modules in lunar orbit
• Transferring samples between modules
• Re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and delivering the samples

Significance:

• Studying lunar samples in Earth labs will provide valuable insights into the Moon’s composition and history.
• This mission may help us learn if there is water ice on the Moon. Which could be a useful resource for future missions exploring the Moon.
• Chandrayaan-4 represents a major step forward in India’s spacefaring capabilities.

With Chandrayaan 4, India aims to solidify its position as a leading space-faring nation and contribute significantly to our understanding of the Moon and its composition.