Russia to launch lunar mission on Friday, first in nearly 5 decades

A Soyuz (rocket) for the launch of the Luna-25 (lander) has been assembled.

Russia said Monday it plans to launch a lunar lander later this week after multiple delays, hoping to return to the Moon for the first time in nearly fifty years.

Technicians finishing to assemble a Soyuz 2.1b rocket carrying the Luna-25 lander ahead of its launch scheduled for August 11, 2023, at the Vostochny cosmodrome. (AFP)

"A Soyuz (rocket) for the launch of the Luna-25 (lander) has been assembled," the Russian space agency said, ahead of what will be Moscow's first lunar mission since 1976. “The launch is on August 11.”