Science & Technology Current Affairs - 2026-07-12

Background: India's Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has a successful history of lunar exploration with the Chandrayaan program. Chandrayaan-1 discovered water molecules on the Moon, and Chandrayaan-3 achieved a historic soft landing near the lunar south pole. Current Context: As of July 2026, ISRO is in the advanced planning stages for Chandrayaan-4. This mission is envisioned to be more ambitious, potentially involving international collaboration, and aims to conduct detailed scientific investigations, including sample return capabilities, from the lunar south polar region. Impact: Chandrayaan-4 is expected to significantly advance India's standing in global space exploration, provide crucial data on lunar resources, and pave the way for future human missions to the Moon.