Soviet-Era Space Race Rekindled? Russia Aims To Reach Moon With Luna-25 Before US, India Missions

Expedition 68 crew members of Roscosmos and NASA wave farewell prior to boarding the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft for launch in 2022 in Kazakhstan. The Russian Space Agency has launched the uncrewed Luna-25 spacecraft to the Moon. BILL INGALLS/NASA VIA GETTY IMAGES.

As NASA continues to work towards landing on Moon with its Artemis mission, Russian Space Agency Roscosmos has launched the uncrewed Luna-25 spacecraft to the Moon.

The spacecraft was launched in the early hours of Friday local time from Vostochny Cosmodrome on a Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket. The Luna-25 aims to land on the lunar South Pole and operate there for a year. The mission marks Russia’s return to the Moon in 47 years since 1976.