The Lunar Polar Exploration mission (LUPEX), also known as Chandrayaan-4, is an ISRO’s and JAXA’s robotic lunar mission concept. So, the mission would send a lunar rover and lander to explore and click photos of the Moon’s south pole region. Surprisingly, the mission will get completed no later than 2025! JAXA will provide the H3 launch vehicle and rover. ISRO will manufacture the lander.
JAXA also completed its internal Project Readiness Review in late 2019. Following the crash landing of Chandrayaan-2’s lander in September 2019, India began planning a new lunar mission, Chandrayaan-3. The repeated attempt is intended to demonstrate India’s landing capabilities, which are required for the LUPEX Mission. JAXA has completed the mission’s instrument selection and the domestic system requirement review (SRR) for the rover in early 2021.
The prime aim that the LUPEX Mission is meant for is water prospecting and analysis. Thus, the mission will open up the latest surface exploration technologies related to vehicular transport and lunar night survival. Additionally, the mission targets sustainable exploration of the moon’s polar region.
