Russia’s Luna-25 probe is heading toward the Moon after successfully reaching its designated orbit, state space agency Roscosmos said on Friday. The lunar mission is Russia’s first in almost 50 years, and was launched earlier in the day from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far-eastern Amur Region.
“After separation from the Fregat booster stage, the automatic probe was taken under control,” Roscosmos said in a brief statement. All the probe’s systems are functioning properly, with ground control maintaining stable communications, the space agency added.
The separation of the Fregat booster stage marks the conclusion of the crucial first phase of the mission. The module fired its engines several times, setting course for the probe to reach the Moon.