Reuters The launch could be followed via a live stream from space organization Roskosmos
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 02:15
Russia has successfully launched the lunar lander Luna-25 to the south pole of the moon. At 1:11 a.m. Dutch time, the missile was launched without incident from Vostotsjny, close to the Chinese border in Russia’s far east. It is the first Russian mission to the moon in 47 years.
The Russian space agency Roskosmos expects the rocket to now take five days to reach the moon, after which the lunar lander is expected to touch down near the south pole of the moon on August 23.
It will be a race against a similar lunar lander from India, which is expected to land in the same area on the same day. The Indian missile was launched on July 14 and is taking longer to arrive at its destination.
Space station
The Luna-25 mission should provide information on how to make a soft landing in the south polar region of the moon. That area may be a suitable place for the establishment of a space station, because there is probably enough ice present to extract water and oxygen.
The launch has been delayed for years. The original launch date was in 2012. The last time a Russian probe was on the moon was in 1976, during Soviet times. Luna-24 then brought 170 grams of lunar soil to Earth.
It was intended that the European Space Agency ESA would participate in this project. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, the ESA withdrew.
This is what the lunar lander looked like before launch:
Russia sends another lander to the moon
2023-08-11 00:15:52
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