16-8-2023 (MOSCOW) The Luna-25 lander, Russia’s first lunar mission in nearly 50 years, has been successfully placed in the Moon’s orbit, according to the country’s space agency, Roscosmos. With this historic launch, Moscow aims to revive and build upon the pioneering space program of the Soviet Union.
Roscosmos spokesperson announced, “For the first time in Russia’s contemporary history, an automatic station was placed in lunar orbit at 12:03 pm Moscow time (09:03 GMT).” This achievement marks a significant milestone for Russia and its space exploration endeavors.
The Luna-25 probe is set to orbit approximately 100 kilometers above the Moon’s surface before planning a touchdown on Monday, specifically north of the Boguslawsky crater located on the lunar south pole.
“The Luna-25 systems are all operating normally, and communication with it is stable,” stated the spokesperson, indicating that the mission is progressing as planned.
Cameras installed on the lander have already captured distant images of the Earth and Moon from the vantage point of space, providing captivating visuals of our celestial neighbors.
Weighing around 800 kilograms, the lander was launched into space by a Soyuz rocket from the Vostochny cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East last Friday. It is expected to remain on the Moon for approximately one year, during which it will collect samples and analyze the lunar soil.
This mission comes at a time when the future of Russia’s longstanding cooperation with the West in space is uncertain due to Moscow’s ongoing offensive in Ukraine. Despite the European Space Agency’s decision not to collaborate with Russia on future missions due to its actions in Ukraine, Russia has affirmed its commitment to pursuing its lunar plans independently.
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