ISRO Sample Return

Chandrayaan-4

India's first lunar sample return mission. Joint mission with JAXA (also known as LUPEX — Lunar Polar Exploration Mission).

Status In Development

Target 2028

Type Sample Return

Partner JAXA

Mission imagery coming soon

Mission Overview

Chandrayaan-4 represents India's most ambitious lunar mission yet — a sample return that will collect material from the Moon's surface and deliver it safely to Earth. Building on the success of Chandrayaan-3's south pole landing in 2023, ISRO aims to demonstrate the full range of capabilities needed for a round-trip lunar mission.

The mission architecture involves multiple spacecraft modules: a lander that descends to the surface, a collection system that gathers and seals samples, an ascent vehicle that launches from the surface to lunar orbit, a transfer module, and a re-entry capsule for Earth return. This complexity is comparable to China's Chang'e 5 and Chang'e 6 sample return missions.

ISRO is also collaborating with JAXA on the LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration) mission, which may share technology and objectives. LUPEX focuses on exploring the lunar south pole's permanently shadowed regions with a rover capable of surviving lunar nights, carrying instruments from both agencies. The exact relationship between Chandrayaan-4 and LUPEX continues to evolve.

Technical Overview

Mission Type Sample Return

Partner Agency JAXA (Japan)

Launch Vehicle LVM3 (expected)

Architecture Lander + Ascender + Transfer + Return capsule

Sample Collection Drill + surface scoop (planned)

Target Launch 2028

Heritage Builds on Chandrayaan-3 landing technology

LUPEX Rover Designed to survive lunar night

Mission Objectives

Lunar Sample Return

Collect lunar surface and subsurface samples and return them safely to Earth, making India only the fourth nation (after USSR, USA, China) to achieve a lunar sample return.

South Pole Resource Assessment

Explore the lunar south pole for water ice and volatiles, building on Chandrayaan-3's elemental discoveries.

Lunar Night Survival

Demonstrate technologies for operating through the extreme cold of lunar night (-130°C), critical for any sustained presence at the south pole.

International Collaboration

Advance the ISRO-JAXA partnership through LUPEX, combining Indian landing expertise with Japanese rover and instrument technology.

Spacecraft

Spacecraft diagram coming soon

01 Lander Module Descent stage based on proven Chandrayaan-3 Vikram design, with enhanced systems for precision landing and sample collection.

02 Ascent Vehicle Small rocket that launches sealed sample container from the lunar surface to orbit for transfer to the return spacecraft.

03 Transfer and Return Module Orbiting spacecraft that receives samples from the ascent vehicle and houses the re-entry capsule for Earth return.

04 LUPEX Rover (JAXA contribution) Rover designed for south pole exploration with the ability to survive lunar night. Carries instruments from both ISRO and JAXA for water ice detection and soil analysis.

Mission Updates

No updates yet. Check back as the mission progresses.