In a bid to make its return to lunar exploration after nearly five decades, Russia is preparing for the launch of its Luna-25 lunar lander later this week. The nation's space agency, Roscosmos, announced on Monday its plan to initiate the launch of the Luna-25 lander in the early hours of Friday. This endeavor marks Russia's reentry into lunar exploration, a feat not undertaken since 1976. According to a report by AFP, Moscow aims to revitalize and advance the pioneering space program once championed by the Soviet Union. The Luna-25 lander, also referred to as Luna-Glob-Lander and Luna-Glob-1, is destined for the Moon's southern polar region, a location also being targeted by India's ongoing Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, launched on July 14. The primary objectives of the Luna-25 mission, as outlined by the US space agency NASA, include the study of the polar regolith's composition and the analysis of plasma and dust elements present in the lunar polar exosphere.
