Luna-25 lunar mission to be Russia’s major 2022 scientific event — top scientist

MOSCOW, January 10. /TASS/. The launch of the Luna-25 probe and its planned landing on the Moon’s southern pole will be Russia’s key 2022 scientific event, President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Sergeyev told TASS on Monday. "The launch of the Luna-25 probe is the main Russian scientific event of 2022 and our return to the Earth’s natural satellite since the 1970s. The most suitable position for the flight will be in the summer of 2022. I am confident that this will take place and I am confident that we will fly to the Moon and land softly and safely in the area of the southern pole, which will be the world’s first landing on that territory," Sergeyev said. "In our estimates, the area there is the most conducive territory for the presence of water. Water is principally important for the Moon’s exploration because there will be no big problems with energy in future lunar settlements while it will be necessary to obtain oxygen," he said. The Luna-25 is a space research lander module whose launch is scheduled for July 2022 from the Vostochny spaceport in the Russian Far East. The module is expected to touch down the Moon’s surface on the territory of the Boguslawsky crater in the area of its southern pole. The Luna-25 module will have nine scientific devices installed on its board to enable Russian scientists to study the properties of the Moon’s oldest rock in detail. Read more