Chandrayaan-5 Mission Approved by the Centre: A Major Leap in Lunar Exploration

The Indian government has officially approved the Chandrayaan-5 mission, aimed at conducting an advanced lunar surface study. Announced by ISRO Chairman V Narayanan on March 16, 2025, this mission will be executed in collaboration with Japan's space agency, JAXA.

Shivam Last updated on March 17th, 2025 01:20 pm

India’s space ambitions have reached new heights with the approval of the Chandrayaan-5 mission, announced by ISRO Chairman V Narayanan on March 16, 2025. This mission will be executed in collaboration with Japan and aims to conduct an advanced study of the Moon’s surface. Unlike Chandrayaan-3, which carried the 25 kg rover ‘Pragyan’, Chandrayaan-5 will deploy a heavier 250 kg rover, enhancing India’s lunar exploration capabilities.

Key Highlights of Chandrayaan-5 Mission

General Information

Approved: March 13, 2025
Announced by: ISRO Chairman V Narayanan
Collaboration: India (ISRO) and Japan (JAXA)
Objective: Detailed study of the Moon’s surface
Rover Weight: 250 kg (10 times heavier than Chandrayaan-3’s rover ‘Pragyan’)
Focus Area: Advanced mineralogical and geological analysis

Chandrayaan Mission Timeline

Mission	Year	Key Achievement	Status
Chandrayaan-1	2008	Discovered water molecules on the Moon	Successful
Chandrayaan-2	2019	Orbiter successful, lander crashed	Partial Success
Chandrayaan-3	2023	First successful soft landing on Moon’s south pole	Successful
Chandrayaan-4	2027 (expected)	Lunar soil sample collection and return to Earth	Upcoming
Chandrayaan-5	2028 (expected)	Advanced surface study with a 250 kg rover	Upcoming

Objectives of Chandrayaan-5

Conduct detailed mineralogical and geological analysis of the Moon’s surface.
Deploy a heavier rover (250 kg) for in-depth exploration.
Enhance India’s lunar technology and scientific capabilities.
Strengthen international collaboration with Japan.

Future Plans of ISRO

Chandrayaan-4 (2027): To bring lunar soil samples to Earth.
Gaganyaan Mission: India’s first manned mission to space.
Bharatiya Antariksh Station: India’s own space station by 2035.

Summary/Static	Details
Why in the news?	Chandrayaan-5 Mission Approved by the Centre: A Major Leap in Lunar Exploration
Mission Name	Chandrayaan-5
Approval Date	March 13, 2025
Announced by	ISRO Chairman V Narayanan
Collaboration	ISRO (India) and JAXA (Japan)
Rover Weight	250 kg
Mission Goal	Advanced lunar surface study
Launch Year	2028 (expected)
Future Missions	Chandrayaan-4 (2027), Gaganyaan, Bharatiya Antariksh Station