Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft adjusted its orbit on Friday as it prepared to attempt the first landing near the south pole of the moon, space agency Roscosmos said.
"Today at 09:20 Moscow time , the propulsion system of the automatic station performed an orbit correction lasting 40 seconds. Its goal is to provide the best conditions for the subsequent construction of a pre-landing orbit," Roscosmos said in a statement.
It said the adjustment went smoothly and the spacecraft's onboard systems and communications were all functioning normally.An Indian spacecraft, Chandrayaan-3, is also orbiting the moon in readiness for a landing near the south pole, where scientists believe there are significant quantities of frozen water that could support a human presence there in the future.
Much is riding on the success of Russia's first lunar mission in 47 years, with Moscow attempting to prove that it is still a leader in space exploration despite the huge costs of the war in Ukraine and Western sanctions aimed at curbing its access to technology.
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