Inspenet, August 11, 2023.
The robotic mission to the Moon has begun!
Russia launched its first robotic mission to the Moon since 1976. The Luna-25 lunar module lifted off at 02:10 Moscow time today, according to the announcement by the Roscosmos space agency. This comes at a time when global powers like the United States and China are intensifying their efforts to explore and study our natural satellite.
The Roscosmos space agency confirmed that a Soyuz rocket has been assembled at the Vostochni space base, located in the far eastern part of the Soviet country to carry out the launch of Luna-25. This module is tasked with landing near the Moon’s south pole , a region considered difficult in terms of terrain.
Once on the Moon , the Luna-25 module, with a weight of 800 kilograms, will carry out tasks of sampling, soil analysis and long-term scientific studies.
This launch marks the beginning of Russia’s new lunar program, which seeks to strengthen space collaboration with China amid tensions with Western powers over Russian actions in Ukraine.
The last time the Soviet Union carried out a lunar mission was with the Luna-24 space probe in 1976 . However, since the dissolution of the USSR, Moscow has faced difficulties in innovating in the space sector, while new private initiatives such as SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, emerge.
Russia firm in its purpose
After the start of the military operation in Ukraine, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced that it would no longer collaborate with Russia in the launch of the Luna-25 mission or in future expeditions.
Russia responded to this situation by stating that it will continue its lunar projects and will replace ESA equipment with domestically-made scientific technology. Despite current tensions, the nation continues to be considered a significant space power due to its Soviet legacy.
In April 2022, during a visit to the Vostotchny cosmodrome, Vladimir Putin remarked that the USSR managed to send the first human being into space in 1961, Yuri Gagarin.
Putin assured that Russia will persist in the implementation of its lunar program despite Western reprisals resulting from the conflict in Ukraine.
Source and photo: https://ahoratabasco.com/rusia-lanzara-su-primera-mision-robotica-a-la-luna/
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