Chandrayaan-4: India’s next lunar mission to be launched in two phases

[Ajay0]

After the success of the Chandrayaan 3 lunar mission, which enabled a soft landing on the moon as well as roving on the lunar surface, ISRO is preparing for the Chandrayaan 4 lunar mission. 

https://www.cnbctv18.com/science/chandrayaan-4-india-next-lunar-mission-to-be-launched-in-two-phases-19213761.htm
 

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The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to embark on its next lunar mission, Chandrayaan-4. Unlike its predecessor Chandrayaan-3, Chandrayaan-4 will be launched in two separate phases, utilising both the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) and the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). This mission is poised to achieve a significant milestone by not only landing on the Moon but also returning rocks and soil samples (lunar regolith) to Earth.

Chandrayaan-3 featured three main components: a lander, a rover, and a propulsion module. However, Chandrayaan-4, as outlined by ISRO chief S Somnath at the National Space Science Symposium, will be more intricate, comprising five spacecraft modules, each playing a specific role to guarantee the mission’s success.

These modules include the Propulsion Module, Descender Module, Ascender Module, Transfer Module, and Re-entry Module.

 

 

[LSD-Rumi]

Humans are so delusional. Before you spend billions to land on the moon, provide good sanitation to your people.

[Ajay0]

1 hour ago, LSD-Rumi said:

Humans are so delusional. Before you spend billions to land on the moon, provide good sanitation to your people.

India's space projects are conducted on shoe-string budgets, inferior to Hollywood movie budgets. 

For example the entire cost of Chandrayaan 3 Mission at 75 million dollars, is less than half of the budget of the Hollywood move Interstellar at 167 million dollars. 

The Indian space industry has been profitable to Indian economy as many countries have approached India to launch their satellites.  India has also saved a lot of money launching its satellites on its own rather than depending on the expensive launching services of other countries.

It is doing great business gaining 1000 per cent return on its expenditure, and has employed many scientists, engineers and technicians. It has also inspired many students to take fields of science and technology in India.

There has also been numerous technological spinoffs from the space industry which has been transferred to the local industries for manufacturing and marketing as products and services.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISRO_spin-off_technologies#:~:text=ISRO spin-off technologies are,or data from ISRO research.

Abdul Kalam, who played a sterling role in India's space programme was from a poverty stricken fisherman's family, who had to start working at age of 10 along with his studies at school.

Kailasavadivoo Sivan , the former chairman of ISRO is similarly of a poverty stricken family who had arrived at his position by his diligent scholarship and work ethics. Many other ISRO positions have been filled with aspiring youngsters from poverty stricken families, and who arose to prosperity though intelligence and good work ethics. 

India is the fourth largest economy in the world and fastest growing economy at the moment,. Around 415 million people came out of poverty in India within 15 years between the years 2005/2006 and 2019/2021 as a consequence of this (as per UN statistics), and India also has the third largest number of billionaires in the world after the US and China at 271. 

https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/economy/story/un-applauds-indias-remarkable-reduction-in-poverty-415-mn-people-came-out-of-poverty-in-15-years-389159-2023-07-11

The global space industry is expected to generate $1.1 trillion or more by 2040, according to Morgan Stanley — more than triple its current value of $350 billion. And, new space engine technology like 3D printed rocket engines are expected to play a big role in this explosion of value.

Indian private space industries have also come about successfully testing their launchers and rockets at cost-effective prices. Reusable launch vehicles like the Pushpak which can further slash costs by 80 %  are also being tested with good results. 

Thus a major chunk of space revenues in the near future can enable India to leapfrog ahead economically and technologically to becoming a developed and highly prosperous nation.

Edited April 3 by Ajay0

[LSD-Rumi]

@Ajay0  Hmmm, very cool if the can use it to launch satillets and make significant profit. I thought to be NASA style excessive expenditure with little benefit behind it. apart from landing on the moon of course .

Edited April 3 by LSD-Rumi

[Ajay0]

26 minutes ago, LSD-Rumi said:

@Ajay0  Hmmm, very cool if the can use it to launch satillets and make significant profit. I thought to be NASA style excessive expenditure with little benefit behind it. apart from landing on the moon of course .

India is the fourth country on earth to succeed in a soft landing on the moon, and the first to do so on the lunar south pole, with the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft.

The Indian space programme has a vision of creating lunar habitats and this is the reason for the first ever lunar landing in the south pole which is considered to have resources for successful habitation such as oxygen, metals , solar power and ease of radio communications. The sequence of crewed space travel, space station, the future Chandrayan-4 project to get lunar soil samples, bringing astronauts to the moon by 2040 are small steps in this regard.

The moon and asteroids can be mined for valuable metals and minerals, which can also be excellent wealth generators.

Hopefully, excess population on earth can be transferred to new habitats in large space stations, moon, mars and habitable moons of other planets. This can greatly reduce the pressure on nature on earth , and also reduce ugly competition for natural resources on earth which can lead to conflicts and wars as well, further fragmenting humanity.

Also considering the prospect of an asteroid strike or nuclear holocaust by foolish and short-sighted politicians that can end humanity , it is wise to invest in lunar habitats that can allow the human race to survive and flourish.

Edited April 3 by Ajay0

[LSD-Rumi]

2 hours ago, Ajay0 said:

opefully, excess population on earth can be transferred to new habitats in large space stations, moon, mars and habitable moons of other planets. This can greatly reduce the pressure on nature on earth , and also reduce ugly competition for natural resources on earth which can lead to conflicts and wars as well, further fragmenting humanity.

Earth is capable of housing 100 billion people easily.

2 hours ago, Ajay0 said:

Also considering the prospect of an asteroid strike or nuclear holocaust by foolish and short-sighted politicians that can end humanity , it is wise to invest in lunar habitats that can allow the human race to survive and flourish.

That would never happen. Humans are not that dumb to basically commit suicide by engaging in nuclear warfare.

 

2 hours ago, Ajay0 said:

The moon and asteroids can be mined for valuable metals and minerals, which can also be excellent wealth generators.

I doubt anything like this could happen un decades. Launching missles is still a very expensive process. A missle couldn't hold that much cargo in first place.

 

[Ajay0]

On 4/3/2024 at 5:54 PM, LSD-Rumi said:

Earth is capable of housing 100 billion people easily.

Earth having around 8 billion people at present has itself decimated animal populations by nearly 70 percent. Half of the world’s rainforest's has been destroyed in just one century.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/animal-populations-plummeted-by-nearly-70-percent-last-50-years-new-report/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/30/humanity-wiped-out-animals-since-1970-major-report-finds

https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/forests-and-deserts/rate-of-deforestation

 

If it has even 50 billion people itself, all of the remaining animal and plant life will be decimated in a short period of time.

 

https://medium.com/climate-conscious/the-magical-number-of-humans-earth-can-support-40c4e1c0411e

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8 billion humans is a consistent estimate from multiple scientific studies for Earth’s carrying capacity.

 

 

[LSD-Rumi]

21 hours ago, Ajay0 said:

Earth having around 8 billion people at present has itself decimated animal populations by nearly 70 percent. Half of the world’s rainforest's has been destroyed in just one century.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/animal-populations-plummeted-by-nearly-70-percent-last-50-years-new-report/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/30/humanity-wiped-out-animals-since-1970-major-report-finds

https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/forests-and-deserts/rate-of-deforestation

 

If it has even 50 billion people itself, all of the remaining animal and plant life will be decimated in a short period of time.

 

With intelligence, will, and determination, you could house that much easily. The problem is not lack of resources, the problem is corruption and materialistic greed. But at some point, earth population will start decreasing, not increasing, as people are becoming more aware of the struggles to raising so many kids in our new developed societies.

So instead of trying to run away to Mars, we should focus on fixing our problems here. Running away from the problem won't work as our problems will follow us.

 

[Ajay0]

On 4/6/2024 at 1:07 PM, LSD-Rumi said:

With intelligence, will, and determination, you could house that much easily.

Housing 50 billion human beings is not an issue ! I am talking about the flora and fauna who require their own habitat. Where do we house them !

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 The problem is not lack of resources, the problem is corruption and materialistic greed. 

This is true. Mahatma Gandhi had stated that earth has enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.

If every man desires and wants a mansion, private jet and fleet of cars, it will bankrupt the earth's natural resources.

Gandhi was a minimalist who made his own food, sandals and clothes, performed manual labor and was a practicioner of the medical system of naturopathy as per his ideals of self-reliance, simple living and high thinking. 

If everyone of the 50 billion had a Gandhian lifestyle, there would be harmony with nature. 

But most people would rather be a billionaire with attitude like Trump with gold-laced buildings and furniture rather than Gandhi. Due to numerous desires, it is human nature to seek materialistic wealth and luxury to fulfill them , and one must account for that. 

 

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So instead of trying to run away to Mars, we should focus on fixing our problems here. Running away from the problem won't work as our problems will follow us.

 

Running away to Mars 250 million kilometers away is not an easy thing.

Indian space probe Mangalyaan is the first to reach the Martian orbit in its first attempt showing the challenges of navigation in this regard at such a large distance.  Roughly sixty percent of all spacecraft destined for Mars failed before completing their missions, with some failing before their observations could even begin.

Mangalyaan, which was India's first interplanetary mission, was set to circle Mars with a designed 6 month lifespan, with five solar-powered instruments gathering scientific data. It however lasted eight years in Mars' atmosphere, and scientists from several institutions have collected information about the planet's surface features, morphology, atmosphere and exosphere. Scientists even used Mangalyaan to study the Solar Corona when the Earth and Mars were on the opposite sides of the Sun,  during the conjunction event of May-June 2015.

Mars has a better habitable terrain and atmosphere than Moon and has a high possibility of being terraformed to have a human population and living habitat.
 

[bebotalk]

Hundreds of millions live in absolute poverty. but then launching space rockets is good for the national ego. 

[bebotalk]

On 03/04/2024 at 9:59 AM, LSD-Rumi said:

Humans are so delusional. Before you spend billions to land on the moon, provide good sanitation to your people.

India is a society rooted in degradation and not caring about the masses.

The recent Hindu supremacy that's emergent is telling of this longstanding cultural trend.

[Ajay0]

42 minutes ago, bebotalk said:

Hundreds of millions live in absolute poverty. but then launching space rockets is good for the national ego. 

 

You seem to be intent on trolling. I have explained about much of India's poverty that came about in the last century under western colonialism over here.

 

[LSD-Rumi]

2 hours ago, bebotalk said:

India is a society rooted in degradation and not caring about the masses.

The recent Hindu supremacy that's emergent is telling of this longstanding cultural trend.

@Ajay0 Don't listen to him. I understand that such things are very important to a 3rd world country. It fills its people with hope and excitement and helps direct the eyes of the world on them. India hopefully do so much better in the decades to come.

[Ajay0]

19 hours ago, bebotalk said:

...but then launching space rockets is good for the national ego. 

Yo Bebytalk. Hope you are doing fine and well. 

Your sweet little island  is also not exempt from poverty it seems.

It is sad that the UK is also having bad financial times, and the homeless over there is now more than a lakh. More than 1,300 people died while homeless across the United Kingdom in 2022, marking an 85 percent increase since 2019.

The UK's maiden space rocket launch last year also ended in failure and is now lying at the bottom of the Atlantic ocean. I am sure this must have caused a lot of heartache and trauma in UK space buffs.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/plane-carrying-rocket-takes-off-for-1st-uk-satellite-launch/articleshow/96867469.cms?from=mdr

Hopefully, Rishi Sunak, the present UK prime minister of Indian origin ruling the UK, about to conduct trade deals with India, can also bring about closer collaboration between ISRO and UKSA to get rid of any teething issues.

The million strong Indian community has the highest median income in the UK and is the richest community after the Jews. So I am a well-wisher of the UK. 

All the best. 

[Ajay0]

16 hours ago, LSD-Rumi said:

@Ajay0 I understand that such things are very important to a 3rd world country. It fills its people with hope and excitement and helps direct the eyes of the world on them. India hopefully do so much better in the decades to come.

Hey, thanks. 

Investment in science and technology pays the highest dividends, and hopefully other third and fourth world countries will emulate India's example, and attain prosperity for themselves from poverty. Gandhi had stated that intelligence and good work ethics is the true wealth, and not gold and silver.

The Arabs at a time were ahead of the west in science and technology, especially during the Arab Golden Age. It was the mongol invasions that
unfortunately ended the Arab golden age in the thirteenth century. Imho, if it weren't for the mongol invasions, the Arab civilization would have been at a highly advanced state now scientifically and technologically speaking, boosting the regional, Asian and global economy.

Hopefully, the middle easterners, rightfully proud of their heritage, will do greater feats in science and technology than their brilliant ancestors. 

[Ajay0]

On 4/3/2024 at 5:54 PM, LSD-Rumi said:

That would never happen. Humans are not that dumb to basically commit suicide by engaging in nuclear warfare.

Due to lack of self-knowledge, human beings are bound to emotionally identify with their external identities related to race, religion, creed,
nationality,ideology and so on leading to disharmony and conflicts. 

Look at the way the Israelis and Arabs have been fighting for decades even though they are of the same Abrahamic family and semitic race. Arab finances and Israeli technology can make the Middle east a technological and greater economic power at present. But there are no leaders with vision for the same. So all the money and intellectual talent are wasted in conflict and making other weapons exporting countries rich.

Same goes for the Americans, Europeans and Russians in conflict with each other even though they are of the same race, culture and religion.

The level of human unconsciousness is very high, and I would say it is bound to result in high chances of foolish or poor decision making leading to conflicts or their exacerbation.

There has been a couple of instances where the world was close to a nuclear holocaust in the last century, and it was only because certain officers refused to obey orders from above that the US, Russia and Europe is still standing now, and is not a radioactive wasteland at present. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Arkhipov

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanislav_Petrov

They are actually lucky to be still alive now. But will their good luck continue in the future is the right question to ask! 

Only a fool depends on luck. Hence the necessity for developing space technology to the point that we can develop large living habitats in the moon and mars.

[Ajay0]

India to launch Chandrayaan-4 in 2028 to bring rocks from the Moon
 

https://www.indiatoday.in/science/story/india-to-launch-chandrayaan-4-in-2028-to-bring-rocks-from-the-moon-2508305-2024-02-28

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Chandrayaan-4 aims to build on the accomplishments of the recently concluded Chandrayaan-3 mission while attempting more complex objectives, confirmed Dr. Nilesh Desai, Director, Isro's Space Applications Centre.

The mission intends to land near the south pole and collect rock samples which will be returned to Earth for analysis. This data could provide insights on lunar resources like water which may support future human colonization.

Chandrayaan-4 will deploy a 350-kg rover capable of traversing larger distances compared to its predecessor. The lander will perform the tricky maneuver of touching down along the hazardous rims of lunar craters that have been unexplored thus far.

The mission will likely utilise India's heavy-lift GSLV Mk III or LVM3 launch vehicles. However, the success hinges on safely retrieving the samples and bringing them back to Earth - a technically challenging endeavour that will require two launches.

The landing will be similar to Chandrayan-3 but the central module will come back after docking with the orbiting module which will later separate above Earth to re-enter the atmosphere and drop the samples.

Isro has already demonstrated a hop experiment with Vikram to show a spacecraft could lift from the Moon's surface, and the Orbiter returned to Earth from the Moon, showing a return trajectory can be achieved. 

 

 

[Ajay0]

How Chandrayaan-4 in 2027 will pave way for an Indian on the Moon in 2040...

https://www.indiatoday.in/science/chandrayaan-4-mission/story/chandrayaan-4-moon-landing-isro-manned-lunar-mission-gaganyaan-2040-2602547-2024-09-19

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The mission aims to demonstrate key technologies essential for future crewed missions, including precision landing, sample collection, and safe return to Earth. This sample return mission will mark a significant leap forward from the successful Chandrayaan-3 landing, pushing the boundaries of India's space capabilities.

The mission's design incorporates five modules across two separate launches, showcasing Isro's innovative approach to complex space operations. These modules will work in tandem to land on the Moon, collect samples, and return them safely to Earth - a feat accomplished by only a handful of nations including the US and China.

By mastering these technologies, Chandrayaan-4 will directly contribute to the development of systems required for India's planned crewed lunar landing in 2040.

The mission will validate critical processes such as docking and undocking in lunar orbit, precise landing techniques, and the safe return of spacecraft through Earth's atmosphere.

Isro Chairman S. Somanath emphasised the mission's importance, stating, "Chandrayaan-4 is not just about bringing back Moon rocks. It's about proving our ability to send humans to the Moon and bring them back safely."