Russia to launch moon probe in 2012

Russia will launch a probe bearing a neutron generator to study the moon's surface in 2012, a leading space researcher said on Tuesday.

Russia will launch a probe bearing a neutron generator to study the moon's surface in 2012, a leading space researcher said on Tuesday.

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"Federal space agency Roscosmos plans to send to the moon a spacecraft bearing a neutron generator developed by our institute to study lunar surface," said Yevgeny Bogolyubov, deputy chief designer of the Automation Engineering Scientific Research Institute.

He also said the generator would be used to study the surface of Mars.

"The IGN-10K impulse neutron generator is designed to study the surface of Mars to determine the content of water in the soil by nuclear-physical methods. The generator will be installed on board a NASA Mars lab that is slated for launch in 2011," he said.