India and Japan are preparing among the most ambitious space missions of this decade - a joint lunar exploration that could change the way humanity looks at the Moon. The mission, called Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX), also known as Chandrayaan-5, will attempt to land near the Moon's South Pole to search for water ice, a resource that could unlock permanent human presence beyond Earth.
The collaboration between Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is historic. For the first time, the two countries are combining their strengths - India will provide the lander, leveraging its proven technology from Chandrayaan-3, while Japan will contribute its powerful H3 launch vehicle and a sophisticated rover. The mission is slated for launch in 2028.
"Water is really essential for survival of humankind," says Dr Saku Tsuneta, Vice Chair of the Committee on National Space Policy, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan. "If you want to go to the Moon and if you want to live on the Moon, you need water for survival. Bringing water from Earth is extremely expensive."
Beyond drinking and life support, water on the Moon can be split into hydrogen and oxygen, creating rocket fuel for future missions to Mars and beyond. "If you have water, you can create fuel so that you can fly elsewhere from the Moon, to say Mars," Dr Tsuneta explains. This makes water the single most valuable resource for space exploration.
The rover, expected to weigh around 350 kilograms, will be the heaviest ever sent to the Moon.
The mission will target the Moon's polar regions, where conditions favour the presence of ice. "In the equatorial region, it is illuminated by heavy sunshine and it's extremely hot, so any form of water is vaporised," says Dr Tsuneta. "In the polar region, the sun illuminates horizontally, so there are multiple shadows by the mountains where you can find ice."
Landing in this rugged terrain is no easy task. But India's success with Chandrayaan-3 gives Japan confidence. "India has already landed successfully in the polar region. So, we fully rely on India's ability to land on the desired area, where we surely find water, ice," he adds.
The rover, expected to weigh around 350 kilograms, will be the heaviest ever sent to the Moon. It is designed to operate for 100 days, enduring extreme lunar conditions. The biggest challenge is surviving the lunar night, when temperatures plunge below -100 degrees Celsius and sunlight disappears for two weeks. Without a radioactive heat source, engineers have devised an innovative solution. "This rover has a mechanism to protect itself to reduce heat dissipation," says Dr Tsuneta. "It insulates itself, and when the night comes, the insulator protects the rover. It's like giving the rover a sweater." He says currently the 'rover is over-weight and ISRO wants a slimmer rover'.
The race to find water is not just scientific - it's strategic. "The United States, European countries, Japan and India all try to find water as early as possible. Otherwise, someone else finds the water. They may say, this is ours," warns Dr Tsuneta.
Permanent lunar habitation will require building infrastructure using local resources. "Rather than bringing things from Earth, you have to create buildings and systems there by Moon material," he says. "One country cannot do everything. This is where Japan and India should work together."
LUPEX, if successful, will pave the way for human bases on the Moon, enabling sustainable exploration and serving as a launch pad for interplanetary travel. "ISRO is an excellent partner for us," Dr Tsuneta emphasises. "They have a landing technology which is quite reliable. India had a successful landing already. So we have full confidence in ISRO's reliability."
