ISRO Selects Chandrayaan-4 Landing Site

ISRO Selects Chandrayaan-4 Landing Site

¨     The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has officially identified a landing site near the Moon's south pole for its upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission.

¨     This mission, approved by the central government, will be India's first lunar sample return mission, targeted for launch around 2028.

¨     The selected landing site is located in the Mons Mouton region, considered one of the Moon's most scientifically important yet technically challenging regions.

¨     Why is the Moon's South Pole so Important?

¨     The Moon's south polar region is considered extremely important scientifically because it contains permanently shadowed craters, which are likely to contain water ice.

This could be a vital resource for future human missions. However, this region is also extremely challenging for landing, due to challenges such as:

¨     Rugged terrain

¨     Steep slopes and deep craters

¨     Extreme temperature fluctuations

¨     Limited direct communication with Earth. Despite these difficulties, ISRO's detailed analysis identified the location with the highest safety margin.

Mons Mouton Region: How the Final Landing Site Was Selected

¨     ISRO scientists evaluated four potential landing sites in the Mons Mouton region—MM-1, MM-3, MM-4, and MM-5. After detailed geomorphological and hazard analysis, MM-4 was selected as the safest option.