India-Japan Lunar Polar Exploration Mission: The Search for Water Ice on the Moon's South Pole

LUPEX, if successful, will establish the foundation for human lunar habitation.

New Delhi:

India and Japan are collaborating on one of this decade's most groundbreaking space ventures - a joint lunar mission that could fundamentally transform humanity's relationship with the Moon. The Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX), also referred to as Chandrayaan-5, aims to touch down near the Moon's South Pole to detect water ice, a critical resource that could enable permanent human settlement beyond Earth.

This partnership between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) marks a significant milestone. In this unprecedented collaboration, India will contribute the lander, building on its successful Chandrayaan-3 technology, while Japan will provide its advanced H3 launch vehicle and a sophisticated rover. The mission is scheduled for launch in 2028.

"Water is absolutely critical for human survival," explains Dr Saku Tsuneta, Vice Chair of the Committee on National Space Policy, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan. "If humans intend to establish a presence on the Moon, water access is essential. Transporting water from Earth is prohibitively expensive."

Water on the Moon serves multiple purposes beyond consumption and life support systems. It can be separated into hydrogen and oxygen components to produce rocket propellant for future Mars missions and beyond. "Water availability means fuel production capability, enabling further space exploration from the lunar surface to destinations like Mars," Dr Tsuneta elaborates. This positions water as the most valuable resource for expanding space exploration efforts.

The rover, anticipated to weigh approximately 350 kilograms, will be the heaviest lunar rover ever deployed.

The mission will focus on the Moon's polar regions, where environmental conditions are favorable for ice preservation. "The equatorial region experiences intense solar radiation and extreme heat, causing water to vaporize," Dr Tsuneta notes. "In polar regions, the sun's horizontal illumination creates mountain shadows where ice can exist."

Landing in this challenging terrain presents significant difficulties. However, India's successful Chandrayaan-3 mission inspires confidence in Japan. "India has demonstrated successful landing capabilities in the polar region. We completely trust India's ability to land precisely where water ice is likely to be found," he states.

The 350-kilogram rover will set a record as the heaviest ever deployed on the lunar surface. Designed for a 100-day operational period, it must withstand extreme lunar environmental conditions. The greatest challenge involves surviving the lunar night, when temperatures drop below -100 degrees Celsius and sunlight disappears for two weeks. Without radioactive heating, engineers have developed an innovative solution. "The rover incorporates mechanisms to minimize heat dissipation," explains Dr Tsuneta. "It utilizes self-insulation, and during nighttime, this insulation protects the rover - essentially providing it with a thermal blanket." He mentions that "currently the rover exceeds weight specifications, and ISRO prefers a more streamlined design."

The quest for lunar water has both scientific and strategic implications. "The United States, European nations, Japan, and India are all racing to discover water resources. The first to locate these resources may claim ownership," Dr Tsuneta cautions.

Establishing permanent lunar habitation requires constructing infrastructure using local materials. "Rather than transporting materials from Earth, structures and systems must be built using lunar resources," he explains. "No single nation can accomplish everything independently. This necessitates Japan-India collaboration."

If successful, LUPEX will establish the foundation for human lunar bases, enabling sustainable exploration and functioning as a launchpad for interplanetary missions. "ISRO represents an exceptional partner," emphasizes Dr Tsuneta. "Their landing technology has proven highly reliable. India has already achieved successful lunar landing, giving us complete confidence in ISRO's capabilities."