The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) has created a team of specialists, which will elaborate the Moon program. The scientists plan to launch three spacecraft - two landing and one orbital - to the Moon to the end of this decade.

Roscosmos is about to begin creation of a carrier rocket that will be launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. The agency is also elaborating a carrier rocket of extra-heavy class for flights to the Moon, Denis Lyskov, Deputy Director of Roscosmos, told journalists.

"Within the program of the Vostochny Cosmodrome, we create a modern carrier rocket that will suit a manned spacecraft," Lyskov said. The spacecraft will weigh 14 tons for lower orbit and 20 tons for lunar missions.

"It requires a carrier rocket of extra-heavy class with carrying capacity of 80 tons to perform flights to the Moon. The program of such carrier rocket is being elaborated. The government has ordered to elaborate the program so that it could make a particular decision on it," Lyskov said.

Lev Zelenuy, vice-president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, says that Roscosmos plans to build a lunar base on the Moon to the end of 2030.

The Russian Academy of Sciences, which elaborated a program for Solar system exploration till 2025, marked the exploration of the Moon as the primary task. During the first stage, which is to begin in 2015, Roscosmos will launch two satellites - "The Moon-Resource" and "The Moon-Globe".

One of them will explore the south pole of the Moon, where Roscosmos plans to land Russian lunar lander with Indian mini-rover. During the second stage, which is to begin in 2020, Roscosmos plans to land two new Moon research vehicles - "Lunokhod-3" and "Lunokhod-4". Scientists think that the new Moon research vehicles will be able to operate in Polar Regions of the Moon for five years and move away from the landing site for a distance of 30 kilometers.

Source: Voice of Russia