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Russia heads to the moon to find water

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Russia has taken a significant step towards lunar exploration, launching its first moon-landing spacecraft in nearly half a century with a mission to uncover water ice reserves on the moon’s southern pole.

This ambitious endeavor pits Russia against other major players like India, the United States, and China in a race to harness the potential of the moon’s untapped resources.

The Luna-25 craft, propelled by a Soyuz 2.1 rocket, lifted off from the Vostochny cosmodrome, situated 3,450 miles east of Moscow. This marks Russia’s maiden lunar mission since 1976. The primary goal is to achieve a soft landing on the moon’s south pole, a region believed to harbor valuable pockets of water ice.

India has already joined the race, having launched its Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander last month. Moreover, the United States and China are deeply engaged in their advanced lunar exploration programs, targeting the same lunar region.

The launch took place at 2:11 a.m. Moscow time, with the Luna-25 eventually exiting Earth’s orbit and being taken under mission control’s supervision by Russia’s space agency Roscosmos. Yuri Borisov, Russia’s space chief, shared that the lander is expected to touch down on the moon’s surface on August 21, a date awaited with anticipation.

Yuri Borisov expressed his optimism, stating, “Now we will wait for the 21st. I hope that a highly precise soft landing on the moon will take place. We hope to be first.”

Sized similarly to a small car, Luna-25 aims to operate for a year on the moon’s south pole, an area where recent findings by NASA and other space agencies have indicated the presence of water ice in the shadowed craters.

The stakes are high for the Luna-25 mission, particularly as the Russian economy remains resilient against Western sanctions triggered by the Ukraine conflict. This mission showcases Russia’s growing autonomy in space, following the breakdown of its space ties with the West post the 2022 Ukraine invasion.

The European Space Agency’s detachment from the project further underscores the geopolitical complexities at play.

Asif Siddiqi, a history professor at Fordham University, noted, “Russia’s aspirations towards the moon are mixed up in a lot of different things. I think first and foremost, it’s an expression of national power on the global stage.”

The quest for lunar exploration has intrigued scientists for centuries, with the search for water on the moon gaining prominence. Recent years have seen major powers like the United States, China, India, Japan, and the European Union delve into lunar investigations.

Elusive mission

Although several attempts have been made, achieving a soft landing on the moon’s south pole has remained elusive.

The lunar south pole’s rugged terrain poses challenges, but the rewards could be groundbreaking: water ice could serve as a source of fuel, oxygen, and even drinking water. With plans for three more lunar missions over the next seven years and a collaborative effort with China for a crewed lunar mission,

Russia’s lunar ambitions seem poised for continued growth.

Maxim Litvak, head of the Luna-25 scientific equipment planning group, emphasized the mission’s core objective, saying, “There are signs of ice in the soil of the Luna-25 landing area.”

Luna-25 is slated to explore the moon for a year, collecting samples and conducting tests.

With a projected five-day journey to the moon, Luna-25’s timeline suggests it could potentially outpace its Indian counterpart, Chandrayaan-3, to the moon’s surface.

The craft will spend 5-7 days in lunar orbit before descending to one of three potential landing sites near the pole.

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LIVE: U.S. bombs Iranian nuclear sites

Trump confirms U.S. B2 bombers targeted three Iranian nuclear sites.

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Trump confirms U.S. B2 bombers targeted three Iranian nuclear sites.


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President Trump confirms U.S. B2 bombers targeted three nuclear sites in Iran.

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Trump confirms U.S. strikes on Iran as Israel targets top Iranian leaders

Trump confirms U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear sites amid rising tensions; Israel intensifies operations, Iran vows to continue enrichment, and Houthi militants threaten U.S. shipping.

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Trump confirms U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear sites amid rising tensions; Israel intensifies operations, Iran vows to continue enrichment, and Houthi militants threaten U.S. shipping.


President Trump has confirmed that U.S. forces successfully struck three nuclear facilities in Iran – Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan – with all aircraft safely exiting Iranian airspace. The mission, involving B-2 stealth bombers, comes amid rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its military operations, killing three top Iranian military leaders and striking a major nuclear facility in Isfahan. The Israeli chief of staff warned the operation may lead to a prolonged and complex war.

Iran responded by vowing to continue uranium enrichment and said talks with the U.S. are off the table unless Israel halts its attacks. In a parallel move, Houthi militants threatened U.S. and commercial ships in the Red Sea if American strikes continue in support of Israel.

Adding to the volatility, an Iranian drone hit northern Israel, with the IDF confirming the incident—though no casualties were reported. The U.S. State Department is now organising flights to evacuate Americans from Israel.

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Trump announces U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites

Trump announces successful U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, while Israel intensifies its military campaign against Iranian leadership.

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Trump announces successful U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, while Israel intensifies its military campaign against Iranian leadership.

In Short:
President Trump announced U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, confirming all aircraft left Iranian airspace after the operation. Meanwhile, Israel ramped up its military actions against Iran, leading to warnings from Iranian officials and Houthi militants regarding potential escalations.

President Trump announced on Saturday that the United States had successfully completed strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.

In a social media post, he confirmed all U.S. aircraft had exited Iranian airspace following the operation.

This military action was preceded by the deployment of stealth B-2 bombers from Missouri, capable of carrying the GBU-57 bunker buster, a powerful weapon considered effective against the Fordow uranium-enrichment facility.

Trump had earlier indicated to senior aides that he approved attack plans for Iran, awaiting Tehran’s decision on its nuclear program.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military intensified its operations against Iranian military leaders and nuclear sites, announcing the elimination of three senior Iranian figures and strikes on the Isfahan facility. Israel’s military chief warned of a potentially prolonged conflict, describing it as the nation’s most complex military undertaking.

In response, Iranian officials stated their refusal to halt uranium enrichment and indicated that negotiations with the U.S. would only occur if Israel ceased its attacks.

Additionally, the U.S. State Department announced the initiation of flights to facilitate the return of American citizens from Israel.

Houthi militants also issued a warning to target U.S. and commercial vessels in the Red Sea should American attacks in support of Israel commence.

Amidst this, an Iranian drone attack recently damaged a building in northern Israel, marking an acknowledged drone strike by the Israeli military during the ongoing conflict. No casualties were reported from the incident.

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