PSLV-C61 / EOS-09 Launch
- Scheduled Launch: May 19, 2024, at 5:59 a.m. from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
- Mission Type: Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-09).
- Launch Vehicle: PSLV-C61 (ISRO’s 101st launch).
- Satellite Capability:
- Equipped with C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR).
- Provides high-resolution images.
- Operational in all-weather and round-the-clock conditions.
- Strategic Importance: Enhances India’s surveillance and remote sensing capabilities, useful for applications like agriculture, forestry, disaster management, and border monitoring.
Relevance : GS 3(Science and Technology)
Chandrayaan-5 / LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration) Collaboration
- Joint Mission: ISRO (India) + JAXA (Japan).
- Purpose:
- Explore lunar polar volatiles, particularly water ice.
- Target: Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) in the lunar South Pole.
- Legacy:
- Follows Chandrayaan-1 (orbital), Chandrayaan-2 (orbiter + failed lander), Chandrayaan-3 (successful lander-rover), and upcoming Chandrayaan-4 (sample return).
- Chandrayaan-5 = fifth lunar mission, first ISRO-JAXA full collaboration.
Mission Architecture
- Launch Vehicle: JAXA’s H3-24L rocket.
- Payload:
- Lunar Lander: Developed by ISRO.
- Lunar Rover: Developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Japan.
- Scientific Instruments: To be provided by:
- ISRO
- JAXA
- ESA (European Space Agency)
- NASA
- Instruments will focus on exploration and in-situ analysis of volatiles (e.g., lunar water).
Technical Interface Meeting (TIM-3)
- Held on May 13–14, 2024, at ISRO HQ, Bengaluru.
- Attended by:
- Senior officials and project teams from ISRO, JAXA, and MHI.
- Objective: To review and finalize technical collaborations and mission readiness for Chandrayaan-5.
Strategic & Scientific Significance
- Earth Observation (EOS-09):
- Strengthens India’s disaster preparedness, resource mapping, and border security.
- Chandrayaan-5/LUPEX:
- Key step in deep space collaboration.
- Advances global understanding of lunar water, crucial for future sustainable lunar habitation and deep space missions.
