India is preparing for the next phase of its lunar exploration programme, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) planning a new mission to the moon. ISRO chairman V Narayana announced that the upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission aims to collect samples from the Moon and bring them back to Earth.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Space and Technology Awareness Training (START 2026) programme, Narayanan shared details about several future space projects. He said the Chandrayaan programme will continue with more advanced missions in the coming years.
Chandrayaan-4 will focus on collecting lunar samples and safely returning them to Earth for scientific research. After that, Chandrayaan-5 is expected to include a heavier lander and rover with a longer operational life on the moon.
Chandrayaan-3 lander functioned on the moon’s surface for about 14 days. However, future missions are being designed to operate for around 100 days. The rover will also be significantly larger. While Chandrayaan-3 carried a rover weighing around 25 kilograms, the future mission may include a rover weighing about 350 kilograms.
Looking ahead, India plans to build its own space station by 2035 and aims to land Indian astronauts on the Moon by 2040.
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