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Which mission is the joint lunar exploration project between ISRO and JAXA scheduled to launch in the coming years?
LUPEX
Chandrayaan-4
Shukrayaan
Gaganyaan
LUPEX
LUPEX, or Lunar Polar Exploration Mission, is a collaborative endeavor between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The mission aims to send a rover and lander to the lunar south pole to investigate the abundance of water ice and assess the feasibility of long-term sustainable lunar exploration.
LUPEX, or Lunar Polar Exploration Mission, is a collaborative endeavor between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The mission aims to send a rover and lander to the lunar south pole to investigate the abundance of water ice and assess the feasibility of long-term sustainable lunar exploration.
The lunar south pole is a region of high scientific interest due to the presence of permanently shadowed regions where water ice remains trapped, similar to how the poles of the Earth govern polar climate and global ocean circulation patterns.
LUPEX stands for Lunar Polar Exploration Mission.
JAXA will provide the lander, while ISRO is responsible for the rover.
The mission targets the lunar south pole, specifically looking for water resources.
LUPEX serves as a precursor to future human lunar landing missions.
The mission uses a heavy-lift launch vehicle, aiming to land at a site with high water content potential.
Chandrayaan-4 is ISRO's independent follow-up mission aimed at lunar sample return.
Shukrayaan-1 is an upcoming Indian mission to Venus, focused on studying the Venusian atmosphere.
Gaganyaan is India's human spaceflight program aiming to demonstrate human spaceflight capability in Low Earth Orbit.
A is correct тАФ LUPEX is the joint lunar exploration project between ISRO and JAXA.
When studying space missions, differentiate between 'exploration' missions like LUPEX and 'sample return' missions like Chandrayaan-4, as this distinction is a frequent focus of UPSC and SSC science-tech questions.