ISRO National Meet Focuses on Scientific Exploration of Moon
The national meet will review scientific contributions from Chandrayaan 1, 2 and 3, lessons from mission planning and execution, and plans for Chandrayaan 4.
Nellore: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday began a three-day national meet on “Scientific Exploration of the Moon through Chandrayaan Missions,” bringing together scientists, researchers, and students to chart the future course of India’s lunar exploration programme.
The meet, being held at the Laboratory for Electro Optics Systems (LEOS), Bengaluru, from September 28 to September 30, has around 150 registered participants, including 75 representatives from academia and research institutions.
More than 45 institutions are represented, with 36 students actively pursuing lunar research participating in the event.
ISRO scientific secretary M. Ganesh Pillai inaugurated the meet.
He highlighted the global impact of the Chandrayaan series, including the highest-resolution imaging of the Moon by Chandrayaan 2’s Orbiter High Resolution Camera and Chandrayaan 3’s successful soft landing at higher lunar latitudes.
He underlined the role of academic and research institutions in strengthening India’s contribution to global space exploration.
LEOS director R. Venkateswaran said the ultimate measure of the country’s space programme would be the spread and depth of scientific discoveries emerging from the moon mission.
Dr. Tirtha Pratim Das, director, Science Programme Office, ISRO Headquarters, stressed the need to synergise national capabilities towards Space Vision 2040.
He wanted students to be involved in shaping the future of India’s space exploration programme.
Physical Research Laboratory director Prof. Anil Bhardwaj highlighted the scientific achievements of Chandrayaan 1, 2, and 3, while outlining the potential of the upcoming Chandrayaan 4 and Chandrayaan 5 missions.
Former ISRO chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar, in a special session, discussed India’s lunar exploration roadmap.
He stressed the importance of identifying scientific opportunities well in advance, including through preparatory missions for India’s planned human landing on the Moon in 2040.
The national meet will review scientific contributions from Chandrayaan 1, 2 and 3, lessons from mission planning and execution, and plans for Chandrayaan 4, and India’s first lunar sample-return mission.
Discussions will cover Chandrayaan 5 / LuPEX, the India-Japan collaborative mission with JAXA to study lunar volatiles, including water ice, near a permanently shadowed region in the Moon’s south polar zone.
The programme will include brainstorming sessions with academia and research institutions. It will involve a special interaction with students on novel ideas for future lunar exploration.
