plannedJAXA / ISRO
LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration)
Joint Japan-India lunar rover mission to the Moon's south pole. JAXA provides the rover and ISRO provides the lander. The rover will carry a drill capable of penetrating 1.5 meters below the surface to confirm the presence of water ice and characterize its distribution. Toyota is developing the rover's driving technology.
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Budget
~$500M (joint JAXA-ISRO)
Timeline
2028–2029
Key Milestones
Launch on ISRO's GSLV Mk III or JAXA's H3 (TBD)
2028
Land at lunar south pole — begin 6-month rover operations
2028
Contractors
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Sources
- jaxa.jp
- isro.gov.in