Russia’s lunar launch will originate from the Vostochny cosmodrome – indiansupdate.com
Russia is on the cusp of rekindling its lunar exploration legacy as it gears up to launch its first lunar landing spacecraft in nearly five decades. Scheduled for Friday, August 11, this momentous mission coincides with India’s eagerly awaited Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing venture. The intriguing possibility emerges that both missions might align their lunar touchdowns, or perhaps even Russia’s could slightly precede Chandrayaan-3’s landing.
The Moon’s challenging and rugged landscape presents formidable obstacles to successful landings, but the southern pole holds particular allure. Scientists speculate that this region could harbor substantial ice reserves, with potential applications ranging from fuel and oxygen extraction to drinking water generation.
Russia’s lunar launch will originate from the Vostochny cosmodrome, situated 3,450 miles (5,550 km) east of Moscow. This liftoff occurs four weeks subsequent to India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander launch, which is scheduled to touch down at the Moon’s pole on August 23.
Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, told Reuters that the Luna-25 spacecraft will travel to the Moon in five days, then spend five to seven days in the moon’s orbit until dropping to one of three prospective touchdown locations around the pole. Notably, ISRO chairman S Somanath recently expressed confidence that Chandrayaan-3’s lander, Vikram, could execute a gentle landing even if certain sensors and two engines malfunction. Somanath emphasized the meticulous design of Vikram, tailored to manage such contingencies.
ISRO also reported that the GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle, carrying Chandrayaan-3, underwent a planned orbit reduction maneuver, propelling it closer to the Moon. Addressing concerns of potential interference between the two missions, Roscosmos assured that separate landing zones eliminate collision risk. The agency emphasized that ample space on the Moon accommodates both endeavors.
Chandrayaan-3, designed for a two-week experimental phase, contrasts with Luna-25’s year-long mission. Laden with 31 kg (68 pounds) of scientific apparatus and weighing 1.8 tons, Luna-25 is equipped with a scoop to extract rock samples from depths of up to 15 cm (6 inches) to assess frozen water presence that might sustain human life.
Originally planned for October 2021, Luna-25’s launch encountered a nearly two-year delay. Additionally, the European Space Agency (ESA) disengaged from the project after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, abandoning plans to test its Pilot-D navigation camera on Luna-25. Preceding Luna-25’s launch, residents of the village of Shakhtinsky in the Khabarovsk region will be temporarily evacuated due to a minute risk of falling rocket stages. As excitement builds around these historic missions, caution extends to hunters and fishermen in the vicinity.