PM Modi Greenlights Chandrayaan-4: A Step Towards India's Self-Reliance in Lunar Exploration and Manned Missions
The Union Cabinet, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved India's upcoming lunar mission, Chandrayaan-4. This mission is designed to make India self-sufficient in essential technologies for manned moon missions, retrieving lunar samples, and performing scientific analysis on those samples. Here's an overview of the main features of Chandrayaan-4.
Objectives of Chandrayaan-4
Chandrayaan-4 is an ambitious project aimed at enabling India to develop foundational technologies crucial for:- Manned lunar missions
- Lunar sample return
- Scientific study of lunar samples
Expanded Mission Scope
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that Chandrayaan-4 is an expansion of the successful Chandrayaan-3 mission. The next step is a manned mission to the Moon, for which all the necessary preparatory actions were approved.Key Elements of Chandrayaan-4
- ISRO's Role: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will take charge of the spacecraft's development and launch.
- Project Management: The mission will be managed using ISRO's established practices.
- Timeline: The mission is expected to be completed within 36 months from approval, with participation from Indian industries and academia.
- Indigenous Technology: All critical technologies for the mission will be developed within India, ensuring self-reliance.
Employment and Economic Impact
The project is expected to create significant employment opportunities and lead to technological advancements in other sectors. Industries across the country will play a crucial role in realizing the mission, which could have a positive ripple effect on the economy.Budget and Cost
The total budget allocated for Chandrayaan-4 is ₹2104.06 crore. This cost includes:- Spacecraft development
- Two launch vehicle missions using LVM3
- External support for deep space communication
- Special tests for validating the spacecraft’s design