EOS-09 & Chandrayaan-5

EOS-09 & Chandrayaan-5 Latest News

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for its 101st mission with the launch of PSLV-C61 carrying the EOS-09 satellite on May 18 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.

About EOS-09

• EOS-09 is an Earth Observation Satellite (EOS), designed to enhance India’s surveillance and imaging capabilities, especially under all-weather and day-night conditions.

Technical Features of EOS-09

• EOS-09 is equipped with a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR).
• The SAR technology enables the satellite to capture high-resolution images of Earth’s surface, regardless of weather conditions or time of day.
• This makes the satellite crucial for disaster monitoring, flood mapping, agriculture assessment, border surveillance, and urban planning.
• The satellite adds to India’s remote sensing infrastructure, critical for environmental monitoring, national security, and climate resilience.

Chandrayaan-5 / LUPEX Mission Collaboration

• ISRO and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) conducted the 3rd Technical Interface Meeting (TIM-3) on May 13–14 in Bengaluru, for the upcoming Chandrayaan-5 / LUPEX mission (Lunar Polar Exploration).

Overview of Chandrayaan Series

• The Chandrayaan series represents India’s progressive lunar exploration:
  • Chandrayaan-1: Orbital lunar mapping and discovery of water molecules.
  • Chandrayaan-2: Orbiter and attempted a lander-rover mission.
  • Chandrayaan-3: Successful soft landing and rover deployment.
  • Chandrayaan-4(upcoming): Aimed at lunar sample return.
  • Chandrayaan-5 / LUPEX: Joint India-Japan mission targeting lunar volatile analysis at the South Pole.

Mission Details of Chandrayaan-5 / LUPEX

• The mission will focus on studying lunar volatile materials, especially lunar water ice in the Permanently Shadowed Regions (PSRs) near the lunar south pole.
• It will be launched by JAXA’s H3-24L launch vehicle.
• The lunar lander will be developed by ISRO, while the rover will be developed by MHI, Japan.
• Scientific payloads will be contributed by ISRO, JAXA, European Space Agency (ESA), and NASA.
• The instruments will focus on in-situ analysis of volatiles, enhancing our understanding of lunar resource potential and future human habitation feasibility.

EOS-09 & Chandrayaan-5 FAQs

Q1: What is EOS-09?

Ans: EOS-09 is an Earth Observation Satellite (EOS) developed by ISRO to enhance India’s all-weather, day-night imaging capabilities.

Q2: What is the Chandrayaan-5 / LUPEX mission?

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Ans: The Chandrayaan-5 / LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration) Mission is a collaborative lunar mission between ISRO and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). 

Source: ET