Mon, October 18, 2010
MOSCOW, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia planned to launch a Moon satellite in 2013 in preparations for establishing Russia's permanent presence on that secondary planet, local media reported on Monday.
Russia was also planning two Moon expeditions, said Victor Khartov, new head of Russia's aerospace company NPO Lavochkin.
The first one will deliver a heavy unmanned explorer to the Moon, while the second will deliver a rocket designed for return expedition to the Earth, he was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass news agency.
Russia has planned, under a project named "Luna Resource 2," to locate a landing site on the Moon and build a long-range Moon vehicle, among others.
