Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to Develop 200-Day Lunar Lander

Exam-focused facts from the 17 June 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is collaborating with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to develop an advanced artificial heating system for future lunar landers.
The new lander is designed to survive for up to 200 Earth days on the Moon's surface, enabling experiments for nearly 7 lunar days.
The advanced lander will feature artificial heaters to survive lunar nights where temperatures can plummet to -129°C.
The Chandrayaan-3 lander, Vikram, which landed on the south pole side of the Moon on August 23, 2023, operated for only 14 Earth days as it was fuelled by solar energy.
ISRO and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have identified 40 areas of technological cooperation, with 17 approved for implementation in the first phase.