Roscosmos is working on determining a new date for the launch
VOSTOCHNY COSMODROME /Amur Region/, October 14. /tass/. The spacecraft for the Luna-25 mission has been assembled and is being prepared for launch from the Vostochny cosmodrome in the Amur Region. Roscosmos is working on determining a new date, which has been postponed from May to July, Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozin told reporters on Thursday.
"The device has been assembled, additional testing is being carried out. We just choose the most convenient ballistic routes <...> we figured, in general, it is possible to fly from May, but ballistics is asked to do [launch] in mid-July. Therefore, the date will be extended soon, we will calmly approach this launch," Rogozin said. He noted that the lunar mission will be carried out for the first time in 46 years.
"It [the launch] is very important for us, because for the first time in 46 years we are entering lunar orbit, and then landing at the South Pole of the Moon, which is important for our scientists - they are sure of the presence of water ice there. Water ice is water, it is oxygen, it is fuel, it is, in fact, all the necessary and sufficient conditions to ensure the creation of a long-term scientific base, including, possibly, habitable. Therefore, the first device will be sent there and it is he who must confirm the correctly selected point," Rogozin concluded.
Russia has its own lunar program: the first lunar mission for our country since the Soviet Union is planned for 2022 (Luna-25), the Luna-26 mission should be launched in 2024, Luna-27 in 2025, Luna-28 in 2027-2028.
Vostochny is the first Russian civilian cosmodrome, it is located in the Amur region near the city of Tsiolkovsky (it appeared in 2015 on the site of the former village of Uglegorsk). The decree on the creation of the cosmodrome was signed by the President of the Russian Federation in 2007. As part of the first stage of construction in 2012-2016, a universal launch complex for Soyuz-2 series launch vehicles was built here. The second stage of the construction of the cosmodrome involves the construction of a launch pad for Angara-A5 launch vehicles and related infrastructure. It is assumed that the construction of the second stage will be completed at the end of 2022.
