August 11, 2023 07:53 am | Updated 11:51 am IST - TALLINN, EstoniaA rocket carrying a lunar landing craft blasted off Friday on Russia’s first moon mission in nearly 50 years, racing to land on Earth’s satellite ahead of an Indian spacecraft. The launch from Russia’s Vostochny spaceport in the Far East of the Luna-25 craft to the moon is Russia’s first since 1976 when it was part of the Soviet Union. The Russian lunar lander is expected to reach the moon on August 23, about the same day as an Indian craft which was launched on July 14. The lunar south pole is of particular interest to scientists, who believe the permanently shadowed polar craters may contain water. It is its own laboratory.”The Luna-25 is to take samples of moon rock and dust.

Source: The Hindu August 11, 2023 15:30 UTC