Estonia: In an achievement in space exploration, Russia has successfully launched its mission to the moon in almost fifty years. The rocket carrying the Luna 25 lander took off from Russias Vostochny spaceport, located in the Far East of the country. This marks a milestone for Russia as it is their lunar mission since their efforts during the Soviet era back in 1976.
The race to reach the moon is highly competitive, with both Russia and India aiming to land their spacecraft around the time. The Russian lunar lander is expected to touch down on August 23rd, coinciding with the anticipated landing date of a spacecraft launched earlier on July 14th. The journey for the mission will take 5.5 days to reach close proximity to the moon. There it will orbit at an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles) for a duration of three to seven days before beginning its descent toward the lunar surface.
Far three nations—the Soviet Union, the United States, and China—have successfully achieved moon landings. However, both India and Russia are now actively competing for the distinction of being the first to touch down on the pole of our celestial neighbor.
Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, has expressed its ambitions. Aims to showcase Russia’s capabilities in delivering payloads to the moon while ensuring unhindered access to its surface.
According to a known specialist in space affairs, the objective of lunar exploration extends beyond mere scientific curiosity. The true motivation behind it lies in the competition among powers, particularly China and the USA as well as other nations vying for supremacy in space.