Russia's Luna-25 Lunar Lander May Be Launched In 2022-2024 - Academy Of Sciences

Russia's Luna-25 unmanned lunar exploration mission, which is set to test the soft landing technologies on the moon, may be ready for launch in the period between 2022 and 2024, Russian Academy of Sciences Vice President Yury Balega said on Tuesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th March, 2019) Russia's Luna-25 unmanned lunar exploration mission, which is set to test the soft landing technologies on the moon, may be ready for launch in the period between 2022 and 2024, Russian academy of Sciences Vice President Yury Balega said on Tuesday.

In early January, Russian State Space Corporation Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said that the Luna-25, which was initially planned to be launched in 2014, would be sent to the moon in 2021. The Luna-26 and the Luna-27 missions are slated for 2023 and 2024 respectively, according to Rogozin.

"Luna-25 will be launched in 2022-2024, God willing," Balega told reporters.

Luna-25, which will be the first Russian mission to the moon after a 40-year hiatus, is projected to search for water ice at the earth natural satellite's south pole and test the lunar soft landing technologies.

The Luna-26 orbital vehicle will conduct mapping and remote sensing of the moon, while the Luna-27 lander will take samples of soil at the south pole of the moon and study it.

In 2027, the Luna-28 lander is scheduled to take cryogenic soil samples from the south pole of the moon to the Earth. In 2028, the Luna-29 lander will deliver a rover to the moon.