Chandrayaan-4 Mission to Return to Earth: ISRO Finds Landing Site

New Delhi: ISRO has achieved a major breakthrough regarding the Chandrayaan-4 mission. ISRO’s Space Applications Center (SAC) has identified a landing site for what will be its most challenging lunar mission yet. A patch of approximately 1 square kilometer on the Moon’s south pole has been identified as a suitable landing site for Chandrayaan-4. This will be ISRO’s first return mission, meaning Chandrayaan-4 will be brought back to Earth.

The landing site was identified using high-resolution images sent by the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter. According to a report, the study was conducted by Amitabh K. Suresh, Ajay K. Parashar, Kanan V. Iyer, Abdul S., Shweta Verma Trivedi, and Nitant Dubey. The mission will include a propulsion module, a descent module, and an ascent module, as well as a transfer module and a re-entry module.

What will be the special features of Chandrayaan-4?
This mission will be very special for India. Its objective is to land on the Moon, collect soil and rock samples, and then return to Earth. ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission was a complete success. Following this success, ISRO has decided to take this challenging step. If Chandrayaan-4 successfully returns, it will pave the way for future human missions.

Where will Chandrayaan-4 land?
Scientists studied four locations based on images sent by the orbiter. The location named MM-4 was found to be the safest. This area is near the Novice Mountain but is relatively flat, minimizing the risk of damage to the lander. The area also receives ample sunlight, making it suitable for landing. The absence of large craters will also make it easier for the lander to maneuver.

Based on the studies conducted so far, it is clear that Chandrayaan-4 will be landed in this area. It is not far from the Shiv-Shakti Point. The area near the craters is also quite dark. ISRO says that samples of water or ice might be found in this region. Furthermore, the samples collected from this area will provide information about the formation of the Moon and the resources present there.