Wed Sep 18 11:47:00 UTC 2024: ## India’s Ambitious Chandrayaan-4 Moon Mission Gets Green Light
**New Delhi:** India’s space ambitions took a giant leap forward with the approval of the ambitious Chandrayaan-4 mission by the Union Cabinet. This mission, aimed at returning samples from the lunar surface, marks a crucial step in India’s roadmap towards a crewed lunar landing by 2040.
The Chandrayaan-4 mission, along with future Chandrayaan missions and the Gaganyaan program, will pave the way for an Indian astronaut to walk on the Moon. This will require ISRO to develop new technologies, including space docking, sample retrieval from the lunar surface, and safe return of the samples to Earth. The mission, estimated to be completed within 36 months, is slated to launch in 2027.
The complex Chandrayaan-4 mission will involve five elements launched in two separate flights, with the full spacecraft assembled in orbit. The mission, costing approximately Rs. 2,104 crore, will also include the development of facilities for the curation and study of the lunar samples.
The mission builds on the success of Chandrayaan-3, which achieved a soft landing on the lunar surface last year. ISRO exceeded mission expectations by performing a short hop on the lunar surface, demonstrating the ability to lift off from an extraterrestrial surface. Furthermore, the Propulsion Module, which ferried the lander to lunar orbit, successfully returned to Earth despite dwindling fuel supplies, proving ISRO’s capabilities for lunar return journeys.
The Chandrayaan-4 mission signifies India’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of space exploration, with an ultimate goal of establishing a lunar base. This mission will not only advance our understanding of the Moon but also contribute to the global effort to explore and utilize space for the benefit of humanity.
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