Russia said Monday it plans to launch a lunar lander this week after multiple delays, hoping to return to the Moon for the first time in nearly fifty years.
With the Luna-25 lander, Russia’s first since 1976, Moscow is keen to restart and build upon a pioneering Soviet-era lunar program.
The launch is the first mission of Moscow’s new lunar program and comes as Russia looks to strengthen cooperation in space with China amid ruptured ties with the West.