Russia to launch first moon lander Luna-25 days ahead of Chandrayaan-3 landing

Russia is set to launch its first lunar landing spacecraft in nearly half a century on August 11.

The Luna-25 mission, which will take off from the Vostochny cosmodrome, is part of an international race to explore the moon's south pole, a region believed to hold significant quantities of ice that could potentially support future human habitation.

The launch comes just four weeks after India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander was sent into space, with an expected touchdown at the lunar south pole on August 23.

Despite the close timing, Russian space agency Roscosmos has assured that there will be no interference between the two missions as they have different landing areas planned.

"The moon is the seventh continent of the Earth so we are simply 'condemned', as it were, to tame it," said Lev Zeleny, a space researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The Luna-25 spacecraft, weighing 1.8 tons and carrying 31 kg of scientific equipment, will spend five to seven days in lunar orbit before descending to one of three possible landing sites near the pole.

Its primary task will be to collect rock samples from a depth of up to 15 cm to test for the presence of frozen water.

The launch of Luna-25 marks a significant milestone for Russia, reigniting its lunar exploration program after a hiatus of nearly 50 years.

However, the mission has not been without its challenges. Originally scheduled for October 2021, the launch was delayed by almost two years. Furthermore, the European Space Agency, which had planned to test its Pilot-D navigation camera on Luna-25, severed ties with the project following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February last year.

Despite these setbacks, Russia remains undeterred in its lunar ambitions. As the Luna-25 prepares for lift-off, residents of a nearby village will be temporarily evacuated due to a minimal risk of rocket debris falling in the area.

They will be offered a viewing spot for the launch and a complimentary breakfast, marking a momentous day in Russia's space history, Reuters reported.