Russia completes its first mission to the Moon in half a century

2023-08-03 12:45:50

Luna 25 mission illustration – KATYA PAVLUSHCHENKO/TWITTER

MADRID, 3 Ago. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Russia has announced the August 10 launch of its Luna 25 robotic module, first mission to the lunar surface in 50 years.

The device, whose launch has been delayed by a year, is expected to land on the South Pole of Earth’s satellite, after which it will begin exploring for resources and studying the structure of the Moon. It is also planned to test soft landing technology, reported Radio Sputnik.

According to RIA Novosti, quoted by Xinhua, the mission will depart on a Soyuz-2.1b rocket with the Fregat upper stage from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, located in Amur Oblast, at 23:10 UTC on 10 August.

The previous Russian ‘automatic station’, Luna-24, was launched in 1976. Its return capsule brought about 170 grams of lunar soil to Earth.

Luna-25 does not have a return capsule. It is expected to become the first station in history to land on the south pole of the Moon. The main tasks of the mission are to test soft landing technologies, study the internal structure and explore resources, including water.

Upon launch and separation of the rocket, the upper stage will send the automatic station onto the flight path to the Moon. After four and a half days, the station will enter orbit around the Moon and change its orbit several times before landing in the south polar region. The station’s scientific work is expected to last one year.