GS Paper - III
The Union Cabinet has officially approved the Chandrayaan-4 mission, marking a significant milestone in India’s space exploration efforts. The mission, which will be managed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is allocated a total funding of Rs 2,104.06 crore.
More about Chandrayaan-4
- The focus of Chandrayaan-4 will be to develop and demonstrate critical technologies required for landing Indian astronauts on the moon and ensuring their safe return to Earth.
- The Chandrayaan-4 mission is a precursor to India’s ambition of landing astronauts on the moon by 2040.
- Major technologies, including those for docking/undocking, lunar landing, safe return to Earth, and lunar sample collection and analysis, will be demonstrated.
- The mission is expected to be completed within 36 months of approval, with contributions from both industry and academia.
- ISRO will be responsible for the spacecraft’s development and its launch, while all critical technologies required for the mission will be developed domestically.
- The approval of the Chandrayaan-4 mission also includes plans to collect and analyse lunar samples, further expanding India’s scientific understanding of the moon.
Green lights two other major space initiatives:
- Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM): This mission will explore Venus’s atmosphere and geology.
- By examining Venus’s dense atmosphere, the mission aims to provide valuable scientific data that will enhance our understanding of the planet’s conditions.
- Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS): The Cabinet approved the development of India’s space station, set to be called the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.
- The first module of BAS is scheduled for launch in 2028. Once operational, BAS will become one of the few active space stations, joining the International Space Station and China’s Tiangong. It will serve as a hub for scientific research and experiments in space.
- These ambitious missions mark India’s continued push to become a leader in space exploration and technological advancement.