Tokyo, Aug 29 (IANS) Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) joint space missions with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will foster collaboration between industries and startups in both countries, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Friday.

In an interview with Japanese newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun, the Prime Minister said the joint missions will also help deepen the understanding of the shadowed areas of the lunar south pole.

“Our government-to-government collaboration in the space sector, between ISRO and JAXA, is fostering a culture of cooperation between our industries and startups. This is creating an ecosystem where innovation flows both ways — from labs to launch pads, and from research to real-world applications,” PM Modi said.

“I am glad that India and Japan are joining hands for the next edition of the Chandrayaan series or the LUPEX (Lunar Polar Exploration) mission. This will contribute to deepening our understanding of the permanently shadowed regions at the lunar south pole,” the Prime Minister added.

Chandrayaan-5 — the fifth mission in the Chandrayaan series of lunar missions — is also called the LUPEX (LUnar Polar EXploration). The ISRO mission, in collaboration with JAXA, is slated for a 2027-28 launch on Japan’s H3 rocket.

The joint mission will feature a rover developed by JAXA and a lander by ISRO, aiming to explore the Moon’s south polar region to locate and analyse water ice.

“I am confident that our scientific teams will be working together to push the boundaries of space science. And, our partnership in space will not only expand horizons above us, but also improve lives around us,” PM Modi told the publication.

PM Modi also lauded India’s space journey and called it “a story of determination, hard work, and innovation of our scientists”.

Further, he stated that space “is the next frontier” for India.

“From Chandrayaan-3’s historic landing on the moon’s south pole to our advances in interplanetary missions, India has consistently demonstrated that space is not the final frontier, it is the next frontier,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister noted how the impact of space science is linked to progress in our daily lives, from agriculture to disaster management, to communications, and beyond.

PM Modi is on a two-day visit to Japan, from August 29-30, at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister HE Shigeru Ishiba. This marks PM Modi’s eighth visit to Japan. PM Modi last visited the country in May 2023.

–IANS

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