A local official said that residents of a remote eastern Russian village would be evacuated on Aug. 11 as part of the launch of Russia’s first lunar lander mission in nearly half a century. The uncrewed Luna-25 lunar lander, Russia’s first since 1976, will be launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, some 3,450 miles (5,550 km) east of Moscow, according to Russia’s Roscosmos space agency. The spacecraft is set to touch down on the Moon’s South Pole and operate for a year, focusing primarily on developing soft-landing technologies, researching the Moon’s internal structure, and exploring resources, including water. The lander will … Continue reading Luna-25 Launch: Russia Evacuates Village in Path of Rocket Boosters