India has approved the Chandrayaan-5 moon mission, featuring a 250kg rover in collaboration with Japan. Chandrayaan-4, set for 2027, aims to bring lunar samples to Earth, while the Gaganyaan human spaceflight is planned for 2028.

The Indian government has officially approved the Chandrayaan-5 moon mission, according to V. Narayanan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The announcement was made on Monday and reported by Indian media.

Speaking at an event at ISRO's headquarters in Bengaluru, South India, Narayanan confirmed that the Chandrayaan-5 mission would feature a 250-kilogram rover designed to study the moon's surface in detail.

"Just three days back, we got the approval for Chandrayaan-5 Mission. We will be doing it in association with Japan," The Indian Express quoted Narayanan as saying.

"This advanced rover aims to conduct detailed studies of the Moon's surface and composition," he added.

India's lunar exploration efforts began with Chandrayaan-1, which was successfully launched in 2008. The mission collected chemical, mineralogical, and photo-geologic data from the moon.

The subsequent mission, Chandrayaan-2, was launched in 2019 to further study the moon’s topography and mineral composition. It included an orbiter, lander, and rover, with a specific focus on exploring the largely uncharted South Pole of the Moon.

Although the Chandrayaan-2 lander and rover did not complete their intended mission due to a last-minute technical failure, the orbiter continues to send back high-resolution images of the lunar surface.

Chandrayaan-3 marked a significant milestone for India’s space program when its lander, Vikram, successfully soft-landed on the moon’s South Pole on August 23, 2023.

In addition to Chandrayaan-5, the Indian government had previously granted approval for two other major space missions, including Chandrayaan-4, which ISRO is targeting for launch by 2027.

The primary goal of the Chandrayaan-4 mission is to collect lunar samples and bring them back to Earth. In February, India’s Science and Technology Minister, Jitendra Singh, confirmed that the Chandrayaan-4 mission is set for launch in 2027 to retrieve moon rock samples.

India also has ambitious plans for its first human spaceflight mission, the Gaganyaan Mission, which is scheduled for launch in 2028.