Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX)

Why in news?

India’s National Space Commission has officially approved theLunar Polar Exploration Mission (Lupex), marking the country’s fifth lunar mission.

This mission follows the successful landing ofChandrayaan-3in August 2023, which made India the fourth nation to land on the Moon.

Lupex is a collaborative endeavor between India’sISROand Japan’sJAXA, aimed at exploring the Moon’s resources, particularly water in its polar regions.

Goal of the LUPEX mission:

The primary goal of the LUPEX mission, a collaborative effort between ISRO and JAXA, is to explore the moon's surface and subsurface to detect and analyze water.

This involves confirming the presence of water, assessing its quantity, and understanding its distribution and form on and beneath the lunar surface.

Who is responsible for the different components of the mission?

ISRO is developing the lander that will carry the rover to the moon, while JAXA is in charge of the rover and the launch vehicle.

Additionally, the mission will include instruments from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) to enhance its scientific capabilities.

Scientific Instruments: The lander will be equipped with sophisticated scientific tools, including:

• Ground-penetrating radar
• Mid-infrared spectrometer
• Raman spectrometer
• PRATHIMA payload for lunar resource scouting

Expected launch:

The launch is planned for a few years from now, contingent upon the approval of ISRO’s lander project by the government of India.

Technological innovations of the mission :

The mission aims to demonstrate advanced lunar exploration technologies such as high-precision soil excavation, direct measurement of water ice, and enhanced rover mobility and survivability in challenging lunar environments.

Mission Challenges:

Key challenges for the LUPEX mission include the technical intricacies of measuring water content directly, excavating lunar soil with precision, navigating diverse and rugged lunar terrain, and ensuring the rover can operate effectively in areas that receive no sunlight.

Benefits:

The data gathered from this mission could be crucial for future lunar expeditions and potential habitation, aiding in the development of ISRO technologies for water extraction and hydrogen production, crucial for long-term lunar missions.