The India-Japan partnership for the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX) aims to explore the lunar surface and search for subsurface water. The mission is a collaborative effort between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Mission Objectives:
- Explore the lunar surface and search for subsurface water.
- Confirm the presence of water, investigate its quantity, distribution, and form.
- Demonstrate exploration technology for activities on the surface of a gravitational body.
- Acquire water resource data to assess the potential use of lunar water as a resource.
Key Players:
- ISRO: Responsible for developing the lander.
- JAXA: Responsible for procuring the rover and launch vehicle.
Progress and Challenges:
- Technical coordination between ISRO and JAXA is underway.
- Initial hurdles due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been overcome.
- Challenges for the LUPEX rover include direct measurement of water ice, vertical excavation of soil, horizontal exploration of diverse environments, and survivability in non-sunlit areas.
Recent Achievements:
- ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission successfully landed near the lunar south pole, marking India as the fourth country to land on the moon.
- Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) mission landed on the moon, making Japan the fifth country to achieve this feat.
Future Prospects:
- LUPEX mission results will contribute to future lunar missions and the establishment of a sustainable manned base on the moon.
- Potential applications include the development of lunar propellant plants and habitation facilities.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):
- What is the primary objective of the India-Japan collaboration on the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX)?
- A) Explore Mars’ surface
- B) Search for subsurface water on the moon
- C) Investigate asteroids
- D) Study outer planets
- Which space agency is responsible for developing the lander for the LUPEX mission?
- A) NASA
- B) ISRO
- C) ESA
- D) JAXA
- What recent achievement was made by ISRO in lunar exploration?
- A) Landing on Mars
- B) Landing near the lunar south pole
- C) Establishing a space station
- D) Landing on an asteroid
- What technical challenges does the LUPEX rover need to overcome?
- A) Measurement of atmospheric composition
- B) Vertical excavation of soil
- C) Exploration of Mars’ surface
- D) Launch vehicle propulsion