Russia has launched its first moon mission in nearly 50 years.

A rocket carrying a lunar touchdown craft blasted off from the Vostochny spaceport within the far japanese Amur area.

Russia launches lunar spacecraft - war latest

It's anticipated to succeed in its vacation spot on 23 August, the identical day as an Indian vessel that launched last month.

Russia's craft, Luna-25, will take about 5 and a half days to journey across the moon, after which spend as much as per week orbiting earlier than touching down on the floor of the moon's south pole.

Its mission is to gather samples of rock and mud to get an understanding of the surroundings for a possible base.

The south pole is of explicit curiosity to scientists, who consider its completely shadowed polar craters could comprise frozen water that might sooner or later be remodeled into air and rocket gas.

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Russia desires 'house superpower' standing

Friday's launch marks Russia's first lunar mission since 1976, when it was a part of the Soviet Union (USSR).

The USSR is one among solely three governments to handle a profitable moon touchdown up to now, together with the US and China.

Russia's house company, Roscosmos, has been eager to show itself as a "space superpower" since the invasion of Ukraine saw it lose access to Western technology.

It mentioned it needed to show Russia "is a state capable of delivering a payload to the moon" and "ensure Russia's guaranteed access to the moon's surface".

Despite being broadly ostracised from the West by sanctions which has impacted its house programme, the nation stays a part of the International Space Station programme for now.

It will leave next year, as work continues by itself orbital outpost.