Russia’s Luna-25 to challenge India’s Chandrayaan-3 to become first in reaching Moon’s south pole

India and Russia are likely to clash in the space sector to determine the first country to reach the south pole of the Moon.

Russia's Luna-25 may challenge India's Chandrayaan-3 to become the first in reaching Moon's south pole. Photo Courtesy: ISRO Twitter page

Russia's Luna-25 has been tasked with the job of taking on India's Chandrayaan-3 for this mission, media reports said.

The European nation is planning a launch on August 11, which, if done, will be the first launch of a moon lander since 1976.

The launch will be taking place four weeks after India sent up its Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, which is scheduled to reach the Moon's south pole on August 23.

Roscosmos, the space agency of Russia, has outlined the timeline for Lune-25 spacecraft, reports said.

According to the Russian agency, two missions, Luna-25 and Chandrayaan-3, will not collide as they have planned different landing areas.

"There is no danger that they interfere with each other or collide. There is enough space for everyone on the moon," Roscosmos has been quoted by various media.

The four-legged lander weighs 800 kilograms and will be launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome, which is located 5,550 kms east of Moscow.