Moon samples, 350 kg rover, 100-day mission life: Isro chief outlines Chandrayaan-4, 5 plans

India is planning to collect samples from the Moon and bring them back to Earth under the proposed Chandrayaan-4 mission, while Chandrayaan-5 is expected to feature a heavier lander with a much longer operational life, Isro chairman V Narayanan said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Isro’s fourth edition of the Space Science and Technology Awareness Training (START 2026) programme, Narayanan outlined several future missions under consideration, including projects related to the Moon, Mars and Venus, news agency PTI reported.

“Now we are working on the continuation of the Chandrayaan programme. In Chandrayaan-4, we plan to collect samples and bring them back. Chandrayaan-5 will involve a heavier lander with a longer mission life,” the Isro chief said.

Narayanan noted that the Chandrayaan-3 lander operated for only 14 days on the lunar surface. “In the future mission, we are talking about a life of around 100 days. The rover will also be heavier. Chandrayaan-3 had a rover of about 25 kg, while the future mission will have a rover of about 350 kg,” he said.

Referring to other programmes, he said Isro is working on a Mars landing mission and the Venus Orbiter Mission. “We have already accomplished the Mars Orbiter Mission, and now we are working on a Mars landing mission,” he said, adding that these projects are under discussion for government approval.

Narayanan also highlighted India’s broader space plans, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme. “We are currently working on the Gaganyaan programme and are planning to send our own astronauts into space and bring them back safely, possibly within the next two years,” he said.

He added that India plans to build its own space station by 2035 and aims to land Indian astronauts on the Moon and return them safely by 2040.

Recalling the Chandrayaan-3 mission in 2023, Narayanan said India became the first country to achieve a soft landing near the Moon’s south pole. “Not only did we achieve the landing, but many discoveries were made. Around eight minerals were identified, seismic activity was studied, and the thermal profile of the Moon’s surface was understood,” he said.

He also noted that the Aditya-L1 solar mission has already begun producing scientific data, while India has completed 10 scientific missions so far, including AstroSat, which recently completed a decade in orbit and continues to function.