India, Japan working on lunar sample return mission [thehindu.com]
India plans to visit the moon a third time and also return, with Japan for company this time.
Their lander and rover mission will bring samples back from moon, the chiefs of the two space agencies said on Friday.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have started to work out the contours of their joint trip — which will be the third for both countries.
They did not say when it would be sent. The plans are in the early stages: Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman and Secretary, Department of Space, A.S.Kiran Kumar, and JAXA president Naoki Okumura said the 'implementation arrangements' are likely be reached in a couple of months.
Related: Japan Planning to Put a Man on the Moon Around 2030 [soylentnews.org]
Enter the Moon Cave [soylentnews.org]
India's Chandrayaan-2 Moon Mission Planned for 2018 [soylentnews.org]