Names | Lunar Polar Exploration LUPEX [1][2] |
---|---|
Mission type | Lunar lander, rover |
Operator | JAXA / ISRO |
Website | www |
Mission duration | 6 months (planned) [3] |
Spacecraft properties | |
Manufacturer | Launcher and rover: JAXA Lander: ISRO |
Launch mass | ≈ 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) [4] |
Payload mass | ≈ 350 kg (770 lb) (lander with rover) [5] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 2024 (planned) [1][2] |
Rocket | H3 [6] |
Launch site | Tanegashima, LA-Y |
Contractor | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
Moon lander | |
Spacecraft component | Rover |
Landing site | South polar region |
Moon rover | |
The Lunar Polar Exploration mission (LUPEX) is a robotic lunar mission concept by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) [7][8][9] that would send a lunar rover and lander to explore the south pole region of the Moon in 2024.[1][2][6] JAXA is likely to provide the under-development H3 launch vehicle and the rover, while ISRO would be responsible for the lander.[8][10]
The mission concept has not yet been formally proposed for funding and planning.[11]
ISRO signed an Implementation Arrangement (IA) in December 2017 for pre-phase A, phase A study and completed the feasibility report in March 2018 with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)[12] to explore the polar regions of Moon for water[13] with a joint Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX) that would be launched by 2024.[1][14]
ISRO and JAXA held the Joint Mission Definition Review (JMDR) in December 2018. By the end of 2019, JAXA concluded its internal Project Readiness Review.[15]
Since Chandrayaan-2 could not soft land on Moon in September 2019, India started to study a new lunar mission namely Chandrayaan-3 as a repeat attempt to demonstrate the landing capabilities needed for the LUPEX.[16]
On 24 September 2019, in a joint statement by JAXA and NASA discussed possibility of NASA's participation as well.[17]
JAXA finished its domestic System Requirement Review (SRR) in early 2021.[18]
The Lunar Polar Exploration mission would demonstrate new surface exploration technologies related to vehicular transport and lunar night survival for sustainable lunar exploration in polar regions.[19][10] For precision landing it would utilize a feature matching algorithm and navigational equipment derived from JAXA's Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) mission.[4][20] The lander's payload capacity would be 350 kg (770 lb) at minimum.[5][3][21] The rover would carry multiple instruments by JAXA and ISRO including a drill to collect sub-surface samples from 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) depth.[22][3] Water prospecting and analysis are likely to be mission objectives.[8][23] Payload proposals from other space agencies might be sought.[7][20]
Few selected Japanese instruments along with the candidate instruments of ISRO and the invited international collaborators by JAXA.[18][24]
For our next mission — Chandrayaan-3 — which will be accomplished in collaboration with JAXA (Japanese Space Agency), we will invite other countries too to participate with their payloads.