ISRO all set to join hands with JAXA to explore dark side of the moon

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is all set to join hands with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, known as JAXA to send a probe to the dark side of the moon, which is expected to hold many secrets surrounding earth's natural satellite. 

While making a presentation on ISRO's future missions at the Akash Tattva conference, Anil Bhardwaj, Director of the Ahmedabad-based Physical Research Laboratory said that the space agency has plans to send probes to Venus and Mars, as the space race heats up, mostly dominated by world powers like the United States, China, and Russia. 

Bhardwaj said that ISRO had talked with JAXA, and the plan is to send a lunar rover to explore the permanent shadow region of the moon. 

According to the initial plans, a lunar lander and rover built by ISRO will be put into orbit by a Japanese rocket with a planned landing near the south pole of the moon. 

"The rover will later travel to the permanent shadow region of the moon which never sees sunlight," said Bhardwaj, according to an Indian Express report. 

Meanwhile, the entire scientific community is now eagerly waiting for the materialization of the Artemis mission aimed at sending humans to the moon after nearly five decades. 

The Artemis mission is considered the first crucial step before NASA's ultimate goal of establishing a colony on Mars. 

"With Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon. Then, we will use what we learn on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars," says NASA on its website. 

After several failed attempts, the US space agency is hopeful that on November 14, it will be able to finally launch the Artemis I Moon mission into space.