- According to experts, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) might collaborate with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for a third lunar mission- Chandrayaan 3
- Discussions about Chandrayaan 3 were first held between ISRO and JAXA at the Asia Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum APRSAF-24- organised by ISRO in Bengaluru in 2017.
- APRSAF annual meetings are open fora for those who have interest in cooperation in the field of space activities in the Asia-Pacific region and are organised under four working groups namely ‘Space Applications’, ‘Space Technology’, ‘Space Environment Utilisation’ and ‘Space Education’.
- Recently, there is a widespread enthusiasm and commercial interest in several countries for moon missions.
- China has proposed its Chang’e 5 mission which will be China’s first sample return mission. It aims to come back with least 2 kg of lunar soil and rock samples back to the Earth.
- The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has outlined plans to send humans back to the moon by 2024 in a mission called ARTEMIS.
- Russia has announced Luna 26 mission which will consist of a Soyuz rocket to descend a lander that will engage in exploring the lunar surface
- Japan has announced SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) mission.
