• Source:JND
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The Union Cabinet has greenlit ISRO’s new lunar mission, Chandrayaan-4, which aims to develop technologies necessary for landing Indian astronauts on the Moon and returning them safely to Earth. Chandrayaan-4 will focus on acquiring essential technologies for lunar landing, docking and undocking, safe return to Earth, and lunar sample collection and analysis. 

The mission is expected to pave the way for a manned lunar landing by 2040. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will spearhead the development and launch of the spacecraft. The mission is anticipated to be completed within 36 months, involving collaboration with industry and academia.

 These elements are crucial for the mission’s success, which includes landing on the Moon, returning samples to Earth, and ensuring a safe return.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that Chandrayaan-4 would have multiple benefits, including making India even more self-reliant in space technologies, boosting innovation and supporting academia.  

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China’s Lunar Exploration Efforts

A recent study by Chinese scientists revealed that soil samples brought back by China’s Chang’e-6 mission from the far side of the Moon exhibit unique characteristics compared to other lunar samples. 

According to the research, the Chang’e-6 soil samples have a lower density and a more porous, looser structure than samples from other Moon regions. The analysis shows that these samples contain significantly more plagioclase and less olivine compared to those from the Chang’e-5 mission. Additionally, the lithic fragments from Chang’e-6 are primarily composed of basalt, breccia, agglutinate, glass, and leucocrete.

The geochemical analysis also found notable differences in the concentrations of trace elements like thorium, uranium, and potassium in Chang’e-6 samples compared to those from the Apollo missions and Chang’e-5, as reported by Xinhua.

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China’s Lunar Exploration Milestone

In May of this year, China launched a 53-day lunar probe mission to collect samples from the Moon’s far side for the first time. This mission marks a historic first in lunar exploration, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

Components And Achievements Of Chang’e-6

The Chang’e-6 mission includes an orbiter, a lander, an ascender and a re-entry module. In June, the mission successfully returned 1,935.3 grams of lunar samples from the far side. The research was conducted by the National Astronomical Observatories, Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Beijing Spacecraft System Engineering Institute.