The launch timelines for Russia’s interplanetary spacecraft Luna-28, Luna-29, and Luna-30 have once again been pushed back—as Kommersant notes, that is indicated by presentation materials delivered by Sergei Chernyshev, vice president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, at a meeting of the academy.
According to him, the Luna-29 mission is now scheduled for 2032, Luna-30 is expected to launch in 2034, and Luna-28 only in 2036.
Chernyshev noted that Russia’s lunar program is structured in two phases. The first envisages testing technologies and selecting landing sites for the spacecraft. The second is tied to the creation of elements of a future lunar infrastructure.
The timelines for these projects had previously been presented differently. In October 2025, Anatoly Petrukovich, director of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Space Research Institute, said Luna-30, carrying a heavy lunar rover, was expected to reach Earth’s satellite in 2036, Luna-28 was to be launched in 2034, and Luna-29 in 2032.
Even earlier target dates were outlined in December 2023. At the time, Roscosmos chief Yuri Borisov said the launch of Luna-28 was scheduled for 2030. Before that, he said, Luna-26 was to be sent in 2027, followed by two spacecraft—Luna-27a and Luna-27b—for which 2028 was named as the provisional date.
Modern Russia’s only lunar mission to date was launched in August 2023. Luna-25, which was meant to become the first station to land near the Moon’s South Pole, ended in failure when it crashed into the surface of Earth’s satellite.