According to The Verge, The Russian Federal Space Agency also known as Roscosmos, publicly announced they will be sending humans to the Moon in 2029. Though not yet a definite plan, this announcement has caught the attention of most space enthusiasts.
The agency's major goal is to create and maintain a lunar station and this plan is a fragment of it. Russia is currently constructing the spacecraft that will be used for the expedition. "A manned flight to the Moon and lunar landing is planned for 2029," said by Vladimir Solntsev, head of Roscomos Energia. In 2021 is the first flight of the spacecraft into space.
Russians will not be alone with this mission. European Space Agency will tag along with them. This mission is called Luna 27, which in the long run would bring humans back to lunar soil. Luna 27 would be a part Luna-Globb, Russia's exploration program that initiated in 1997.
After its initial flight, the plan is to have the spacecraft dock with the International Space Station in 2023, according to Solntsev. Then in 2025, Roscosmos will send an uncrewed version of the spacecraft to the Moon, before finally sending astronauts in the vehicle in 2029. BBC News reported that the ESA and Roscosmos are collaborating on sending a lander to the south pole of the Moon.
Apart from these two countries, China is also interested in sending their people to the Moon. Chang'e program comprises of directing sequence of probes to lunar orbit then to the surface. This program was launched in 2007 by the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program. Through these probes, China could send humans to the Moon in the mid-2020s. There was one Chang'e probe that successfully landed on the Moon last 2013 and will attempt to return in2017. China's missions fascinated Russians to work together for more lunar expeditions.
Who would have thought that humans can set foot on any other planets? The Moon is one of the planets that any space organizations are keen to travel to. Humans are insatiable in seeking and discovering new knowledge. Because of this, the Moon is a great candidate of knowing new facts. These missions to the earth's satellite are a breakthrough to humankind's history.
