MOSCOW (Roscosmos PR) — The launch of the Luna-25 automatic interplanetary station from the Vostochny Cosmodrome has been reconfirmed and is scheduled for the second possible launch window (the period when the spacecraft launched from the Earth, taking into account its design features and power-to-weight ratio, will optimally reach its destination along a given trajectory) in May 2022. 

• Roscosmos head discussed launching cosmonauts from Kourou with French counterpart
• Russian-Chinese lunar south pole base is rival to planned U.S. facility
• Russia to begin design work on new Earth orbiting station by late summer

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

Roscosmos is exploring the possibility of launching spacecraft from the Guiana Space Centre in South America that would carry cosmonauts to the new Chinese space station and a base that Russia and China plan to build at the lunar south pole, according to media reports. Russia is also beginning work on a new Earth orbiting space station.

The Roscosmos State Corporation and the China National Space Administration have adopted a joint statement on cooperation in the creation of the International Scientific Lunar Station (INLS). “Taking into account the experience of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China in the field of space science, the creation and use of space technology and space technologies, recognizing the mutual interest in the creation of the International Scientific Lunar […]

MOSCOW (Roscosmos PR) — Dmitry Rogozin, General Director of Roscosmos State Corporation, and Kejian Zhang, Head of the China National Space Administration, on March 9, 2021, by videoconference, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the governments of Russia and China between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the creation of the International Scientific Lunar station (MNLS).