India-Japan’s LUPEX Mission Enters Design Phase

India and Japan have taken a major step in their joint lunar exploration effort with the Chandrayaan-5 mission, also known as LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration). The mission, which aims to study the presence of water and water-ice on the Moon’s surface and subsurface, is set to enter the design phase after finalizing instrument selections and completing engineering model testing. The 6.5-tonne spacecraft is scheduled to launch on Japan’s H3 rocket in 2027-28.

Why in News?

The Chandrayaan-5 mission has officially entered its preliminary design phase, following key progress on instrumentation and testing. The announcement was made during the Global Space Exploration Conference held in New Delhi, where officials from JAXA and ISRO confirmed that both space agencies are actively working on the development of the lander and the rover for the LUPEX mission.

Mission Overview & Objectives

• Name: Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX – Lunar Polar Exploration Mission)
• Collaborators: ISRO (India) and JAXA (Japan)
• Goal: Explore water and water-ice at the Moon’s south pole (surface + subsurface)
• Planned Launch: 2027-28 aboard Japan’s H3 rocket
• Duration: 100 days (proposed)
• Lander: Built by ISRO
• Rover (350 kg): Developed by JAXA
• Instruments: 7 onboard, including contributions from ESA and NASA

Scientific Instruments & Capabilities

• One large instrument with four sensors (1 by ISRO, 3 by JAXA)
• ESA: Developing a mass spectrometer
• NASA: Designing neutron spectrometers

Instruments designed for,

• In-situ experiments
• Measuring energy, mass, and hydrogen presence
• Drilling lunar regolith and analyzing water content

Technical Highlights

• Rover can travel distances and climb slopes up to 25° inclination
• Charging system planned for pre- and post-sample collection
• Possibility to extend the mission life by one additional year
• Future exploration to include Moon’s far side if conditions permit

Background & Timeline

• March 2025: Mission approved by Indian Cabinet
• 2023: India’s Chandrayaan-3 successfully landed on Moon’s south pole
• Upcoming: Chandrayaan-4 to be a sample return mission