Russia Sets Sights on Moon: Plans to Send Cosmonauts and Build Moon Base by 2031

 Russia is making plans to send cosmonauts to the moon and build a moon base by 2031, marking the first time in history that Russia will land humans on the moon, as reported by state news agency TASS. A draft plan presented by Vladimir Solovyov of RKK Energia outlines Russia's intention to conduct manned missions to the moon, including the first Russian human moon landing. The plan also includes the establishment of a moon base and the exploration of the moon's resources. However, Russia's recent moon mission, the Luna-25 spacecraft, failed in August when it spun out of control and crashed into the moon, highlighting the challenges faced by the country's space program.

Despite this setback, Russia remains determined to push forward with its lunar exploration plans. Although U.S. astronaut Neil Armstrong gained international recognition for being the first person to walk on the moon in 1969, the Soviet Union's Luna-2 mission in 1959 was the first spacecraft to reach the moon's surface, and the Luna-9 mission in 1966 made the first soft landing. Notably, Yuri Gagarin became the first human in outer space on April 12, 1961, but Soviet cosmonauts have not yet achieved a human landing on the moon.

With these new plans for lunar exploration, Russia aims to join other countries in the race to explore and potentially exploit the moon's resources. Preparations for the deployment of a lunar base are expected to take place between 2031 and 2040. Although Russia's recent failure underscores the challenges faced by its space program, the country remains committed to advancing its capabilities and making history with its upcoming manned missions and moon base construction. The prospect of Russia's cosmonauts setting foot on the moon in the next decade is an exciting development in the field of space exploration.