ISRO Unveils Blueprint for Future Lunar Missions Amid Satellite Deployment Plans

ISRO Chairman S Somanath announced the completion of Chandrayaan 4 and 5 mission designs, pending government approval. The Chandrayaan-4 mission aims to return moon rocks and soil, while plans for launching 70 satellites include enhancing various services. The Gaganyaan project remains on track for a December launch.

ISRO Chairman S Somanath revealed on Tuesday that the designs for Chandrayaan 4 and 5 are complete, with the space agency currently seeking government approval. These missions are poised to advance India's lunar exploration capabilities significantly.

The Chandrayaan-4 mission aims to bring lunar samples back to Earth, involve spacecraft launches from the moon, perform a space docking experiment in lunar orbit, and return collected samples to Earth. The targeted launch date for Chandrayaan-4 is set for 2028.

In addition, ISRO plans to launch 70 satellites over the next five years, catering to various government departments and ministries. These include NAVIC navigation satellites, weather monitoring INSAT satellites, and high-resolution imaging Cartosat satellites. Somanath also mentioned that the Gaganyaan mission is scheduled for its first unmanned launch in December, with critical components arriving at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, soon.

(With inputs from agencies.)