ISRO receives nod from Indian government to Shukrayaan: ISRO Director Nilesh Desai

Ahmdedabad (Gujarat) [India], November 26 (ANI): Director of Space Research Organization (ISRO) Nilesh Desai said that ISRO had received a nod from the Indian government to the Venus Orbiting satellite --Shukhrayaan.
"The Indian government has recently given a nod to our Venus Orbiting Satellite -- Shukrayaan... It will be launched in 2028... The idea of Chandrayaan 4 has been proposed as a follow up of Chandrayaan 3, where we will land not only on the moon but also will return with soil and rock samples," the Director said while speaking to the media.
Talking about the missions of Chandrayaan 4, Desai said that India and Japan would be conducting a joint mission.
"Chandrayaan 4 will consist of two missions.. India and Japan will be doing a joint mission where will go the tip of the moon's south pole at 90 degrees south as compared to our last attempt of 69.3 degrees south. It will be a precise landing. We have not yet received the government's approval for the mission.. The rover as a part of the mission will weigh 350 kg, which is 12 times heavier than the previous rover. If we get the government's nod, we will we able to execute the mission by 2030," he said.
Further, he said that discussions had been ongoing on the sensors and satellites which would be launched as a part of the INSAT 4 series.
Desai said "We are having discussions on the new sensors and satellites which will be launched as a part of the INSAT 4 series. The world is one generation ahead of us, and we will be able to catch up with these new sensors. We will be able to provide even better forecasts as well with the new meteorological and oceanographic sensors."
The Director also added that as a part of the Mars mission, attempts will be made to land on the Mars surface.
"As a part of the Mars mission, we will not only put a satellite on the Mars orbit but we will also attempt to land on it's suface.. Gaganyaan will be launched in the next two years.. It will be an unmanned flight after which we will launch a manned flight. The government has also given an approval to construct India's own space station. It will not be as big as the ISS but will have five modules. We will launch the first module in 2028 and India's space station will be ready by 2035.. As a part of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to land on the moon by 2040, our space station will function as a transit facility en route," he said. (ANI)