By-Srushti Sharma
Given that the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover are very certainly dead on the Moon, the chances of the Chandrayaan-3 project being revived are slim. If it ever materialises, it will be a miracle.
But now Chandrayaan-4, a brand-new moon expedition, is the centre of attention.
Its official name is Lunar Polar Exploration Mission, and in 2017 ISRO and JAXA joined forces to advance the lunar mission and start the process by signing an agreement.
The fourth lunar mission's main goal is to discover whether water exists on the moon's surface.
Future expeditions of space exploration will benefit from this knowledge.
It will also shed light on the scientific puzzles surrounding the moon.
The south pole region of the Moon will receive a lander and rover from ISRO and JAXA that will perform research on the lunar surface.
The Chandrayaan-4 mission will be carried out from the south polar area of the Moon, just like Chandrayaan-3.
The Chandrayaan-4 mission is anticipated to launch in 2026, however neither JAXA nor ISRO authorities have provided a particular date or timeframe.