Lunar Polar Exploration Mission
Scale model (1/4) of LUPEX at JAXA pavilion at Expo 2025 | |
| Mission type | |
|---|---|
| Operator | |
| Website | www |
| Mission duration | 3.5 months after landing (maximum one year) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Launch vehicle and rover: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Lander: ISRO |
| Launch mass | ≈ 6,200 kg (13,700 lb) |
| Payload mass | ≈ 350–400 kg (770–880 lb) (lander with rover) |
| Power | Watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2028–2029 (planned) |
| Rocket | H3-24 |
| Launch site | Tanegashima, LA-Y |
| Contractor | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
| Moon lander | |
| Spacecraft component | Rover |
| Landing site | South polar region |
| Moon rover | |
The Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX) (also called Chandrayaan-5) is a planned joint lunar mission by ISRO and JAXA. The mission would send an uncrewed lunar lander and rover to explore the south pole region of the Moon no earlier than 2028. It is envisaged to explore the permanently shadowed regions and to determine the quantity and quality of water on the Moon. JAXA will provide the H3 launch vehicle, 350 kg lunar rover along with instruments and ISRO will provide the lander and few rover instruments.
LUPEX will follow the planned lunar sample-return mission Chandrayaan-4.