Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visit to boost Indo-Japan space cooperation

NEW DELHI: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Gujarat on September 13-14 for the annual bilateral summit is set to give a push to Indo-Japan space cooperation including a mission to the moon.

TeamIndus, a Bengaluru-based private aerospace company, has joined hands with Japan to launch India’s first private spacecraft to moon in March 2018.

This feat has so far been achieved only by the United States, Russia and China.

When PSLV-XL launches from Sriharikota, carrying Japanese rover Sorato and Indian rover ECA, it will be the first time a private entity will undertake robotic space exploration mission, people aware of the development said. They said the main engines are being sourced from Japan’s IHI Aerospace and Sorato rover is developed by iSpace Tokyo.

TeamIndus plans to launch the spacecraft aboard the Indian Space Research Organisation’s PSLV that will inject the spacecraft into an orbit 800 km above the surface of the Earth. From there on, the spacecraft will set course to the moon by switching on its own engines. After landing on the lunar surface on Mare Imbrium, both the rovers would be deployed.

The backers of TeamIndus include big names of Indian industry including Ratan Tata, Nandan Nilekani and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.