LUPEX (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci & Tech)

Context: In a joint effort, the space agencies of India and Japan are embarking on the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX).

• This mission, slated for a 2025 launch, aims to assess the feasibility of establishing a lunar base, investigate the presence of water ice, and advance surface exploration technologies.

About Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX)

• It's a collaborative project jointly undertaken by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• The mission's launch is planned for the year 2025.
• LUPEX aims to employ a rover and lander to investigate the feasibility of establishing a lunar base, the presence of water ice, and surface exploration technologies.
• The rover and lander are being developed by JAXA and ISRO, respectively.
• The rover will carry instruments not only from ISRO and JAXA but also from NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA).