ISRO plans to return to Mars, explore dark side of moon with Japan

In talks with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for sending a lunar rover to explore the permanent shadow region of the moon.

After missions to the moon and Mars, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has now set its eyes on Venus and also plans to explore the dark side of the moon in collaboration with Japan.

Making a presentation on ISRO's future missions at the Akash Tattva conference here, Anil Bhardwaj, Director of the Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory, said the space agency also planned to send a probe to Mars.

Mr. Bhardwaj said it was in talks with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for sending a lunar rover to explore the permanent shadow region of the moon.

As per the initial plans, a lunar lander and rover built by ISRO will be put into orbit by a Japanese rocket with a planned landing near the south pole of the moon.

"The rover will then travel to the permanent shadow region of the moon which never sees sunlight," Mr. Bhardwaj said.

He said the exploration of the region was interesting as anything that has remained in the PSR zone was akin to staying in deep freeze for times immemorial.

Mr. Bhardwaj said the Aditya L-1 would a unique mission in which a 400-kg class satellite carrying the payload would be placed in an orbit around the Sun in such a way that it can continuously view the star from a point called the Lagrange Point L-1.