ISRO prepares for Chandrayaan-4 sample return mission to the Moon
The Union Cabinet has given the green light to ISRO's most ambitious lunar mission yet — Chandrayaan-4 — which will attempt to soft-land on the Moon's south pole, collect samples from the regolith, and return them safely to Earth, a feat accomplished by only the USA, USSR, and China.
The mission, with a budget of ₹2,104 crore, is targeted for launch in 2027 and will use two separate spacecraft — a lander and an ascent vehicle — that will rendezvous in lunar orbit before the return journey to Earth.
ISRO Chairman S. Somanath described Chandrayaan-4 as "a quantum leap" from the previous Chandrayaan-3, which successfully soft-landed near the lunar south pole in August 2023, making India the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the Moon.
"We learnt enormously from Chandrayaan-3. The data from Pragyan rover's instruments showed the presence of sulphur and other elements in the south pole region. Now we want to physically bring those samples back for detailed analysis on Earth," Dr. Somanath said.
The lunar south pole is considered scientifically invaluable due to the presence of water ice in permanently shadowed craters, which could be a resource for future human missions.
India's successful space programme has been achieved at a fraction of the cost of comparable missions by NASA or ESA, reflecting what space analysts call India's "frugal engineering" advantage.
