On Friday, a rocket carrying a lunar lander was launched into space, initiating Russia's first moon mission in almost 50 years, ahead of an upcoming Indian spacecraft's attempt to reach Earth's satellite.
The Luna-25 spacecraft lifted off from the Eastern Spaceport in Russia's Far East, marking the country's inaugural launch since its time as part of the Soviet Union in 1976.
The Russian moon lander is anticipated to reach the moon on August 23, roughly aligning with the timing of the Indian spacecraft launched on July 14. The Russian craft is set to spend about 5.5 days en route to the moon, followed by an orbit of 3 to 7 days at a distance of approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles), before descending to the lunar surface. Only three governments have successfully landed on the moon: the Soviet Union, the United States, and China. India and Russia aspire to become the first nations to land at the moon's southern pole.
The Russian space agency aims to demonstrate the nation's capacity to deliver payloads to the moon and ensure secure access to its surface. "Studying the moon isn't the objective," noted renowned Russian space analyst Vitaly Egorov. "The objective is the political competition among superpowers like China, the United States, and other countries aspiring for the title of space superpower."
The Luna-25 spacecraft lifted off from the Eastern Spaceport in Russia's Far East, marking the country's inaugural launch since its time as part of the Soviet Union in 1976.
The Russian moon lander is anticipated to reach the moon on August 23, roughly aligning with the timing of the Indian spacecraft launched on July 14. The Russian craft is set to spend about 5.5 days en route to the moon, followed by an orbit of 3 to 7 days at a distance of approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles), before descending to the lunar surface. Only three governments have successfully landed on the moon: the Soviet Union, the United States, and China. India and Russia aspire to become the first nations to land at the moon's southern pole.
The Russian space agency aims to demonstrate the nation's capacity to deliver payloads to the moon and ensure secure access to its surface. "Studying the moon isn't the objective," noted renowned Russian space analyst Vitaly Egorov. "The objective is the political competition among superpowers like China, the United States, and other countries aspiring for the title of space superpower."