Vladimir Putin and Russia Launch First Moon Mission in 47 Years

Meanwhile, India also reportedly launched a Moon mission this month. That lunar spacecraft – the Chandrayaan-3 – is expected to land on or around August 23.

“The fact that both Russia and India are targeting to land in the same, albeit large, region of the Moon highlights that certain areas are more valuable than others,” Benjamin Silverstein of the Carnegie Space Project said.

The U.S. is reportedly scheduled to launch a similar mission later this decade.