ISRO has selected MM-4 in the Moon’s South Polar Mons Mouton region as the landing site for its Chandrayaan-4 mission
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has selected a site in the Moon’s South Polar region for its upcoming Chandrayaan-4 mission, which is at least two years away. The mission has received approval from the union government and is planned as India’s most complex lunar endeavour yet, designed as a lunar sample-return mission.
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan previously stated that Chandrayaan-4 is targeting a launch in 2028. Officials have focused on ensuring the mission’s success by carefully selecting a suitable landing site with minimal hazards.
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The ISRO team examined four locations within the Mons Mouton (MM) region of the Moon, identified as MM-1, MM-3, MM-4, and MM-5. Using high-resolution Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) multi-view image datasets, the terrain characteristics of each site were fully analysed.
After evaluation, MM-4 was chosen for the landing. The site covers a one-kilometre by one-kilometre area with the lowest hazard percentage, a mean slope of 5 degrees, mean height of 5,334 metres, and the highest number of hazard-free grids measuring 24 metres by 24 metres. These factors make MM-4 suitable for a safe soft landing.
The Chandrayaan-4 spacecraft will consist of multiple modules: a Propulsion Module (PM), Descender Module (DM), Ascender Module (AM), Transfer Module (TM), and Re-entry Module (RM). The combined stack of DM and AM will perform a soft landing at the designated MM-4 site, with navigation, guidance, and control systems ensuring a safe descent.
ISRO officials emphasised that selecting a landing site meeting all constraints is crucial for the success of the mission. The proper choice of MM-4 is expected to minimise risks during descent and facilitate the complex operations of the Chandrayaan-4 mission.
(With PTI inputs)
Published: 09 Feb 2026, 09:29 pm IST
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