Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5 Designs Ready, Awaiting Government Approval

Bangalore: After the success of Chandrayaan-3, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is gearing up for its next missions, Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5. The designs for these missions are ready and awaiting government approval.

ISRO Chairman S. Somnath stated that the organization plans to send a series of missions to the moon. The Chandrayaan-3 mission was a huge success, and now, the designs for Chandrayaan-4 and Chandrayaan-5 are complete. The government's approval is pending, and the process is underway.

Chandrayaan-4 will bring back samples from the moon's surface. The spacecraft will make a soft landing on the moon, collect samples, and then launch from the moon's surface to enter the lunar orbit. The spacecraft will then dock with the orbital module and return to Earth.

ISRO has announced plans to launch 70 missions in the next five years. The organization will establish a series of satellites in the lower Earth orbit to provide positioning and navigation services, including four Navik satellites, Insat-4D series satellites, weather satellites, ResourceSat series satellites, and high-resolution Cartosat series satellites. ISRO will also demonstrate quantum satellite technology and launch two satellites with electric propulsion systems. The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) will launch its first commercial mission in 2026.

The organization is also preparing to launch data relay satellites to maintain continuous contact during the Gaganyaan mission. A high-throughput satellite from the GSAT series will be launched on SpaceX's Falcon rocket to provide internet connectivity. The satellite is being prepared and will be sent to the US soon. A series of Earth observation satellites will also be launched in the next five years.

ISRO Chairman S. Somnath stated that the Shukra mission is not a priority at present and is being re-evaluated. The first unmanned mission of Gaganyaan is expected to launch in December. The crew module is being integrated at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, and the service module is being integrated at the UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bangalore. The crew escape system has reached the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, where the final testing and integration will take place.