By Sarah Cope | 2026-01-08

The Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX), also known as Chandrayaan-5, is a joint project of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

A key step in India’s lunar roadmap, it is part of the country's long term space vision, which aims for a lunar sample return mission and Indian astronauts landing on the moon by 2040.

And for Japan, it marks a shift from reconnaissance and landing-oriented missions to deeper space exploration and scientific research.

Building on previous ISRO-led Chandrayaan missions, LUPEX/Chandrayaan-5 aims to study the moon’s surface in search of water and other resources, gaining expertise in lunar exploration in the process.

The mission will include the dispatch of a 250kg rover that JAXA is developing.

The rover will gather data on the lunar environment and surface conditions, and probe for resources that could be leveraged to sustain a human presence on the moon.

Launched in 2008, ISRO's Chandrayaan-1 mission gathered chemical, mineralogic and photo-geologic data from the moon’s surface.

In July 2019, Chandrayaan-2 attempted to launch a lunar orbiter, the Vikram lunar lander, and the Pragyan rover.

While the lander and rover failed to touch down successfully, the orbiter is still studying the moon and transmitting data back to scientists on Earth.

Chandrayaan-3 saw the completed launch and touchdown of a lunar lander and rover on the moon’s south pole.

After its landing, samples collected by the mission’s rover helped scientists discover that the lunar south pole was once covered in an ocean of magma.

Chandryaan-4, slated to launch in 2028, also will include lunar sample collection and return.

Building on a legacy

While a firm launch date is yet to be released, a November visit by a Japanese delegation to ISRO to review progress indicates the Chandrayaan-5 mission is gaining momentum.

Chandrayaan-5 is preparing to continue exploration of the lunar south pole, a key region of international scientific and strategic interest.

Unlike equatorial regions of the moon, the lunar south pole contains permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) that have not received direct sunlight in billions of years and are extremely cold.

The region holds stores of water ice, which scientists say could be key to sustaining a human presence on the moon.

Water molecules found in PSRs could be used for drinking water, the creation of fuel, and even for breathable air. By reducing the materials that must be transported from Earth, lunar exploration could become more sustainable.

Studying lunar ice and other volatile substances found in PSRs also provides critical insights into the moon’s formation and geologic history.

With Chandrayaan-5, ISRO and JAXA have the opportunity to combine scientific expertise in areas such as ISRO’s demonstrated history of lunar orbiters, landers, and rovers and JAXA’s advanced robotics expertise.

JAXA is currently developing the mission’s rover, which will be capable of traversing challenging polar terrain, conducting in situ measurements, and analyzing soil samples.

The technical coordination required for such a mission indicates a high level of integration between Japanese and Indian space programs. But beyond scientific goals, Chandrayaan-5 has broader diplomatic and strategic significance.

By contributing to global understanding of the moon’s history and the sustainability of longer crewed missions, Japan and India are positioning themselves as key contributors to the lunar exploration ecosystem.