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

Russia is all set to evacuate a village in its far east on August 11 as part of the launch of its first lunar lander mission in nearly half a century, a local official said on Monday.

The mission, named Luna-25, marks a significant milestone for Russia as it’s their first lunar lander since 1976. The launch is scheduled to take place from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, located approximately 3,450 miles (5,550 km) east of Moscow, as confirmed by Russia’s Roscosmos space agency.

To ensure the safety of the residents, the Shakhtinskyi settlement in Russia’s Khabarovsk region, southeast of the launch site, will be evacuated early in the morning on August 11. The decision to evacuate is a precautionary measure since the village falls within the projected area where the rocket boosters are expected to descend after separation.