WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Russia successfully launched its first moon-landing spacecraft in nearly five decades on Thursday. The country aims to be the first to achieve a soft landing on the lunar south pole. This region is believed to contain valuable reserves of water ice.
The live stream of the launch was made available by Russia’s space agency. The spacecraft is expected to travel a distance of 385,000 kilometers (239,000 miles) before reaching its destination. The mission’s primary objective is to gather data about the presence of water ice in the south pole region of the moon.
Experts believe that water ice could potentially be a valuable resource for future space missions. Not only can it be used for human consumption, but it can also be broken down into its components, hydrogen and oxygen, to create rocket fuel. This could open up new possibilities for long-range space travel.
Russia has set ambitious goals for its lunar exploration program. In addition to studying the moon’s water ice deposits, the country is also planning to establish a permanent lunar base. This would serve as a stepping stone for future missions to Mars and other destinations in the solar system.
The last time Russia attempted a moon landing was in 1976. The mission, known as Luna 24, successfully collected samples from the lunar surface and returned them to Earth. With their latest spacecraft, Russia is hoping to build on past achievements and make further progress in lunar exploration.
While Russia is currently leading the race to the lunar south pole, other countries and private space companies are also vying for the opportunity to reach this region. The United States, China, and India have all expressed their interest in exploring the moon’s poles and potentially extracting resources.
However, there are concerns about the potential impact of such activities on the lunar environment. Some scientists worry that mining operations could disrupt the natural balance of the moon and affect its scientific value.
Despite these challenges, the renewed interest in lunar exploration has sparked excitement and optimism within the space community. Many believe that the moon holds valuable resources and scientific discoveries that can benefit humanity’s future in space.
As Russia’s new moon-landing spacecraft embarks on its journey, the world will be watching closely to see if the country can achieve its goal and pave the way for future lunar exploration.
Reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by Jamie Freed
Credit: The Star : News Feed
