Russia's reactivation of lunar exploration via its robotic Luna 25 lander has slipped to 2023.
The postponement was announced to Russia's TASS news agency by Yuri Borisov, the head of Russia's space agency
Roscosmos, on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum on Wednesday (Sept. 7). When asked if
Luna 25 had slipped to next year, Borisov replied, "Unfortunately, yes,"
TASS reported (opens in new tab).
Reportedly, a speed and distance sensor that will help the lander make a safe and soft landing on
the moon underperformed during testing, leading to the delay from this month into 2023. The sensor was made by the Vega Concern, a member of Rostec's Ruselectronics holding company, which is owned by the Rostech State Corporation, according to TASS.