15:20 GMT 20.11.2017(updated 15:24 GMT 20.11.2017) Get short URL 51 An implementation agreement for the collaborative mission is likely to be finalized within the next two months. New Delhi (Sputnik) — The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are working on a joint lunar mission, which will be the third for both countries. According to ISRO Chief AS Kiran Kumar, the two space agencies have enhanced collaboration in the recent years. "We are looking at a possible joint lunar mission which is still in a very preliminary stage. We are working on the details at the moment. The relationship between India and Japan in terms of the space agencies has had a visible change. We are working together for possible future cooperative missions," ISRO chairman AS Kiran Kumar said during the 24th Session of Asia Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) held in the Indian city of Bangalore. The president of JAXA, Naoki Okumura, also expressed optimism. "India and Japan have been having collaborations in the space sector, which helps us share our knowledge and technologies. I believe that India and Japan will lead the space sector in the Asia Pacific region through these collaborations," PTI quoted Okumura as saying. India and Japan are also negotiating the terms of using their advanced space technologies for providing inputs on weather monitoring. They are also looking forward to collaborating with data gathering for climate change studies. Experts view the collaboration as a positive development and don't think it is directed against any third country, in particular, China. READ MORE: India Plans to Use Moon Dust for Energy Needs "Indo-Japanese space collaboration is a positive development as it helps both countries to channel their resources and technology. Both sides have something to offer to each other. The space program of both India and Japan is at a similar level. Also, the joint lunar mission should not be deemed as directed against any third country, particularly China, which is running an advanced space program. India's space mission is a civilian program and geared towards achieving the country's goals," Group Captain (Retd.) Ajey Lele, Senior Fellow, at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses told Sputnik. Both India and Japan have conducted successful moon missions in the past. Japanese space agency's lunar orbiter spacecraft Selene had landed on the surface of the moon in 2009 after successfully orbiting the moon for a year and eight months. The country had launched its first ever lunar probe Hiten Spacecraft in the year 1990. India, on the other hand, had launched its first lunar probe in 2008 through Chandrayaan-1 and currently, it is gearing up for its next lunar mission Chandrayaan-2, which is scheduled to take off in March 2018.
The Indian Space Research Organisation and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency are said to be close to agreeing a joint mission to the moon, the first of many potential collaborations in the future. The two countries are also discussing the possibility of using their space technology for weather monitoring and gathering data for climate-change studies. India has been working on its own satellite programme since it was launched by ISRO in 1998.