Chandrayaan-4 is a planned lunar sample-return mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and will be the fourth iteration in its Chandrayaan programme. It consist of four modules namely Transfer module (TM), Lander module (LM), Ascender module (AM) and Reentry Module (RM). The planned mission life is 1 lunar day and the landing site is near to Shiv Shakti Point, the landing site of Chandrayaan-3's Lander.[1][2]

Chandrayaan-4
Mission typeLunar sample return
OperatorISRO
Spacecraft properties
BusChandrayaan
ManufacturerISRO
Start of mission
Launch date≥ 2028[3]
Rocket
Launch siteSatish Dhawan Space Centre
ContractorISRO
 

History

On 17 November 2023, the plan for a lunar sample return mission was revealed by Nilesh M. Desai, Director of the Space Applications Centre (SAC) during the 62nd foundation day ceremony of the IITM in Pune. He said that it is a very ambitious mission and hopefully in next five to seven years we will meet this challenge of bringing sample from the surface of the moon.[4][5]

Description

The Transfer Module - Reentry Module (TM+RM) composite launched onboard a GSLV rocket which will after a series of orbit manuvering will be parked on a favourable lunar orbit for Ascender Module docking. Lander Module cum Ascender Module (LM+AM) structure launched onboard LVM3 rocket will make a descent to the landing site. The robotic arm mechanism in Lander Module will collect samples and transfer it to the Ascender Module which will seperate from LM and make a lift off from lunar surface to dock with the Transfer Module of TM+RM composite in lunar orbit. Transfer Module will transfer the samples to Reentry Module and Ascender Module will undock from the thus formed tri-module structure. TM+RM composite will make a return flight to Earth's orbit after which on separation, the Reentry Module to make a re-entry to the Earth's surface with the samples.[6][7][8][9]

Mission Components

Lunar Lander - will land on the moon with instrumentation and support's the Ascend stage along with the soil sampling instrumentation.

Lunar Module Ascender - will launch from the moon, using the lander as a launch pad and enter lunar orbit.

Transfer module - will collect the samples from the Ascend stage and tranfer them to the re-entry module, also fire its engine to set both modules towards the earth following which it will release the payload and loop back around the earth.

Re entry module - will hold the sample from lunar orbit . It is designed to survive atmospheric re-entry and land with the ever so precious lunar regolith.

[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ IITM Foundation Day 17th Nov 2023, retrieved 2023-11-20
  2. 1 2 "ISRO working on ambitious lunar missions LUPEX, Chandrayaan-4: Official". The Economic Times. 2023-11-17. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  3. ↑ IITM Foundation Day 17th Nov 2023, retrieved 2023-11-20
  4. ↑ "ISRO working on ambitious lunar missions LUPEX, Chandrayaan-4: Official". The Economic Times. 2023-11-17. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  5. ↑ "Chandrayaan-4: ISRO's Ambitious Mission To Bring Back Soil Samples From Moon". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  6. ↑ IITM Foundation Day 17th Nov 2023, retrieved 2023-11-20
  7. ↑ "ISRO working on ambitious lunar missions LUPEX, Chandrayaan-4: Official". Breaking news, top new, latest news, world news | Indian Economic Observer. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  8. ↑ Livemint (2023-11-19). "Chandrayaan-4: ISRO to bring back soil samples from the Moon". mint. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  9. ↑ https://twitter.com/TitaniumSV5/status/1725877570393264420?t=0wQzlRwh3VpAGVOEyj9C5g&s=19
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