Moon

The IKI RAS has completed an express analysis of telemetry and measurement data of scientific instruments on board the Luna-25 automatic station, performed on August 13, 2023 in two sessions of the first activations at a distance of about 310 thousand km from the Earth. All instruments showed full operability and readiness for lunar exploration. Their analog and digital components and blocks worked perfectly.

Luna-25 automatic mission to the Moon was launched from Vostochny cosmodrome by Soyuz-2.1b launcher. It was successfully inserted into cruise trajectory and separated from the Fregat booster.

Luna-25 lander is equipped with the self-consistent set of scientific instruments, which will study the regolith and the exosphere of the Moon.

On August 7, 2023 Luna-25 science teams have successfully completed the 'general rehearsal' of the first stages of instruments' work on the Moon.

Before Luna-25 mission starts off to the Moon, as planned, in August 2023, we asked academician Lev Zelenyi, academic advisor of IKI and Principal Investigator of the mission, to share some details from Luna-25's long history and its main objectives.

July 24, 2023, a team of IKI scientists and engineers left for Vostochnyi cosmodrome for closing works on Luna-25 scientific payload before the spacecraft starts for the Moon.

Luna-25 mission, which is scheduled for launch in August 2023, is the first Russian new-generation-lander to study Moon.

Russia and China mutually exchanged Moon samples, which had been delivered to the Earth by Luna-16 and Chang'e-5 missions.