Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
We know a lot of your partners might have asked you, “Chaand kab lekar aaoge mere liye?”, but it will be ISRO who will get that dream fullfilled with Chandrayaan-4. With a budget of ₹2,104 crores, the Chandrayaan-4 mission aims to collect samples from the Moon’s Shiv-Shakti region and bring them back to mainland India.
The mission is seen as a step towards fulfilling the iconic romantic wish expressed in the popular saying, “Chaand, taare tod ke laaunga,” symbolizing the desire to reach the Moon and stars for love. The dialogue “Chaand taare tod laaunga” is from the Bollywood movie “Kati Patang,” famously delivered by the character played by Rajesh Khanna. It’s a romantic line expressing the lengths one would go to for love.
ISRO Chairman Dr. Somanath during an interview with NDTV, outlined the complexities of Chandrayaan-4, which include drilling, robotic sample collection, and safely returning samples to Earth. He emphasized the necessity of developing various technologies for this endeavour. This mission is considered vital for India’s goal of achieving a crewed lunar landing by 2040.
Last week, the Union Cabinet authorized a series of space missions with a budget of ₹31,772 crores, which will guide the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) until approximately 2040. Among the highlighted initiatives were Chandrayaan-4, a mission to Venus, and enhancements to the Gaganyaan project.
In addition to Chandrayaan-4, a mission to explore Venus has also been sanctioned, highlighting ISRO’s expansion into planetary science.
Plans for the ‘Bhartiya Antariksha Station’ have been approved, which aims to enhance India’s capabilities in human spaceflight and deep space exploration.
Somanath reassured the public that ISRO’s projects will not only focus on space exploration but also aim to benefit everyday citizens, ensuring that advancements in space technology address practical needs.
The ambitious roadmap indicates a strategic plan for Indian space exploration, positioning India as a significant player in the global space arena and reflecting the nation’s aspirations for a developed future by 2047.