Russia Holding Firm on July 2022 Launch of Luna-25, Possible World’s First Soft Landing In MSP Region
In a country noted for scientific achievement, Russian Academy of Sciences President Alexander Sergeyev heralds Luna-25 as “main scientific event of 2022” for nation; The long-awaited mission features a 1,750kg Luna-Glob craft with 30kg payload capacity for 9 science experiments probing exosphere plasma/dust, regolith, and imaging local environment to be launched from Vostochny spaceport via Soyuz-2.1b with Fregat upper stage; Landing site near Boguslavsky crater at 69.55°S, 43.54°E would be southernmost lunar soft landing in history (currently held by Chang’e-4 at 45.5°S, 177.6°E)