The Indian Space Research Organisation started a three-day national conference dedicated to the scientific exploration of the Moon through the Chandrayaan missions on Monday, September 28, 2026. Convened at the Laboratory for Electro Optics Systems in Bengaluru, the gathering brings together researchers, agency leaders, and university scholars to assess planetary findings and structure operational milestones heading toward a planned human landing on the lunar surface.

R. Venkateswaran, director of the Laboratory for Electro Optics Systems, highlighted the institutional vision of the gathering during the opening session. “The ultimate measure of India’s space program’s success lies in the spread and depth of scientific discoveries,” Venkateswaran said, addressing delegates from across the national research network.

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Chandrayaan conference details and participation figures

• Event: National meet on Scientific Exploration of the Moon through Chandrayaan Missions
• Organizer: Indian Space Research Organisation
• Location: Laboratory for Electro Optics Systems in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
• Duration: 3 days, running from Monday, September 28, 2026, to Wednesday, September 30, 2026
• Attendance: Approximately 150 registered participants from more than 45 institutions
• Academic presence: 75 delegates from universities and research centers, including 36 active student researchers
• Target milestone: Crewed lunar landing scheduled under Space Vision 2040

Scientific evaluations and institutional leadership in Bengaluru

M. Ganesh Pillai, scientific secretary of the space agency, inaugurated the proceedings by highlighting the worldwide relevance of the Chandrayaan flight series. Pillai pointed to specific scientific contributions, such as the surface imaging captured by the Orbiter High Resolution Camera on Chandrayaan-2 and the soft landing executed by Chandrayaan-3 in elevated lunar latitudes. He stressed that ongoing collaboration with universities and research laboratories remains fundamental to expanding the contribution of the nation to global space observation.

Dr. Tirtha Pratim Das, director of the Science Programme Office at agency headquarters, detailed the administrative framework necessary to unite institutional capabilities. Das explained that engaging the student community early provides the technical continuity required to meet long-term strategic targets set under Space Vision 2040.

Prof. Anil Bhardwaj, director of the Physical Research Laboratory, reviewed the data gathered across previous expeditions. Bhardwaj examined the scientific output produced by Chandrayaan-1, Chandrayaan-2, and Chandrayaan-3, contrasting those milestones with the technological objectives assigned to upcoming exploratory phases.

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Upcoming Chandrayaan-4 sample return and international cooperation

Technical sessions on the event agenda focus on the design parameters of Chandrayaan-4, which is being developed as the first mission of the country to gather samples from the lunar surface and return them to Earth. The engineering framework involves distinct stages of surface collection, ascent from the Moon, and atmospheric re-entry.

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The conference also reviews Chandrayaan-5, known alternatively as LuPEX, conducted in direct collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. This collaborative mission focuses on prospecting volatile elements, particularly water ice trapped within permanently shadowed craters near the lunar south pole. Scientists are evaluating instrumentation requirements to examine how polar resources can support sustained robotic activity.

India consolidated high-latitude lunar presence in 2023

India solidified its standing in lunar exploration in August 2023 when Chandrayaan-3 achieved a soft landing near the south polar region of the Moon. That operation made the country the fourth nation in history to complete a controlled descent on the lunar surface, establishing operational capabilities in regions with rugged topography and low solar illumination.

Earlier contributions began with Chandrayaan-1, which entered lunar orbit in 2008 and yielded evidence of water molecules bound to the regolith. Chandrayaan-2 followed with an orbiter mission that continues providing optical mapping of polar and equatorial regions, establishing baseline models currently utilized in planetary science laboratories across India.

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Space Vision 2040 and student habitat designs

A specialized afternoon session led by A. S. Kiran Kumar, former chairman of the space agency, member of the Space Commission, and chairman of the Apex Science Board, analyzed the preparatory timeline leading up to 2040. Kumar explained that each intermediate robotic flight serves as a technical validation stage for systems that will eventually sustain astronauts on the Moon.

The program concluded its opening day by presenting formal recognition to students who won a national hackathon focused on engineering lunar architecture. The competition challenged university teams to design viable structures for scientific base camps and human habitats suited to environmental hazards on the lunar surface, including radiation exposure, severe temperature shifts, and volatile ground stability.

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Discussions at the Laboratory for Electro Optics Systems conclude on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, following bilateral brainstorming panels where academic investigators and mission planners define payload proposals for future Chandrayaan missions.