According to the institution’s statement, the Fregat upper stage will put the probe into orbit on its approach path to the Moon, the Sputnik news agency said.

The probe will reach lunar orbit nearly four and a half days after takeoff, before finally landing near the south pole of the Moon to begin a research mission that will last a year.

The launch was initially scheduled for July 2022 but ended up being postponed several times.

The main objectives of the mission are to refine soft landing technologies in polar areas of the Moon and to conduct an exploration of the designated area near its south pole.

The previous lunar mission, Luna-24, was launched in the days of the Soviet Union, in 1976.

Russia plans to launch the Luna-26 orbiter in 2027. The Luna-27 is expected to be put into orbit a year later, set to land in an area that would host a lunar base in the future and research the polar permafrost.

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