ISRO Identifies Lunar Landing Site for Chandrayaan-4
Even though the Chandrayaan-4 mission is still at least two years away, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has already selected a landing site for the lander in the Moon’s south polar region. The Central Government has approved the mission, under which lunar soil samples will be collected and brought back to Earth. This will be India’s most complex Moon mission so far. ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan has said that the target is to launch Chandrayaan-4 by 2028.
According to ISRO officials, four locations in the Mons Mouton region were examined, and one of them has been chosen as the final landing site. The selected area lies on the Moon’s surface in the south polar zone.
Most Complex Lunar Mission
Chandrayaan-4 will land at the MM-4 site in the Mons Mouton region.
The mission is scheduled for 2028 and aims to return lunar soil samples to Earth.
Officials said that four sites—MM-1, MM-3, MM-4, and MM-5—were shortlisted, with MM-4 finally selected for the landing. These locations were carefully studied based on elevation and terrain using data from the Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) and other imaging sources.
The analysis showed that an area roughly one kilometer long and one kilometer wide near MM-4 is the safest compared to other sites. The region has an average slope of about five degrees, an average elevation of 5,334 meters, and includes a 24-meter by 24-meter zone considered highly secure for landing. For these reasons, MM-4 has been deemed suitable for the Chandrayaan-4 mission.
Chandrayaan-4 will consist of five main components: the Propulsion Module (PM), Descent Module (DM), Ascender Module (AM), Transfer Module (TM), and Re-entry Module (RM). The DM and AM together will form the landing stack, which will touch down smoothly on the selected lunar surface.
Officials say that a safe landing can be ensured by choosing a site that meets all technical and operational requirements of the lander.
