BENGALURU, June 13: India is developing technology that might enable future lunar landers to survive on the Moon for up to 200 days, marking a significant leap from the 14-day operational lifespan of the Chandrayaan-3 lander and doubtlessly reworking the nation’s ambitions for long-duration lunar exploration.
Revealing the plan on Saturday, ISRO Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space, V Narayanan stated the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched a collaborative effort with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to overcome one of many hardest challenges in Moon missions, surviving the cruel and extended lunar evening.
Addressing the sixth version of the CSIR-RISE Conclave right here, Narayanan stated the success of Chandrayaan-3 highlighted each India’s technological capabilities and the challenges that stay in attaining sustained operations on the lunar floor.
“On August 23, 2023, India became the first and only country to successfully land near the south pole of the Moon. But the Vikram lander’s life was only 14 days because it depended on sunlight to generate electricity. During the next 14 days of lunar night, the electronics could not survive due to the absence of power and extremely low temperatures,” he stated.
Narayanan stated ISRO and DAE at the moment are engaged on superior synthetic heating techniques that may defend spacecraft techniques in the course of the freezing lunar evening and considerably lengthen mission life.
“We are going to develop artificial heaters. If we succeed, such landers can survive for 100 to 200 days instead of only 14 days,” he stated.
The proposed technology might allow future Indian missions to conduct prolonged scientific experiments, collect bigger volumes of knowledge and strengthen prospects for sustained robotic and ultimately human presence on the Moon.
The ISRO chief stated the initiative displays a rising tradition of collaboration amongst India’s scientific establishments. He disclosed that ISRO and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) lately held in depth consultations and recognized greater than 40 areas of technological cooperation, with 17 initiatives already permitted for implementation within the first section.
He additionally highlighted partnerships throughout a number of ministries and scientific departments. Under the Gaganyaan programme, India’s first indigenous human spaceflight mission, ISRO has signed an settlement with the Department of Science and Technology-supported Sri Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology to advance analysis in house medication.
Narayanan additional stated ISRO has entered right into a collaboration with the Department of Biotechnology to undertake microgravity experiments following India’s participation within the Axiom mission to the International Space Station.
Stressing the function of innovation in nation-building, he stated India’s scientific ecosystem has expanded quickly over the previous decade, supported by a vibrant startup tradition and stronger trade participation.
“India today has one of the largest startup ecosystems in the world, with more than two lakh startups as of December 2025. Research, innovation, entrepreneurship and industry participation are essential for the country’s growth,” he stated.
Narayanan famous that India’s house programme has up to now accomplished about 105 launch car missions and round 135 satellite tv for pc missions, achievements made attainable via contributions from a number of analysis establishments and laboratories throughout the nation.
Acknowledging CSIR’s function in India’s technological progress, he stated a number of of its laboratories have supported vital house applied sciences starting from supplies and propulsion techniques to specialised scientific analysis.
The ISRO chief additionally linked the most recent lunar technology initiative to India’s long-term house imaginative and prescient outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He stated India is working in the direction of establishing its personal house station and touchdown an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040, targets that can require sustained technological innovation and deeper collaboration throughout scientific disciplines.
“India is moving towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. No single institution can achieve such goals alone. It is through collective effort, scientific excellence and national commitment that we will take the country to greater heights,” Narayanan stated.
(UNI)