European Space Agency halts cooperation with Russia on moon missions

The European Space Agency (ESA) said on April 13, 2022, it will “discontinue cooperative activities” with the Russian space agency Roscosmos on the Luna 25, 26, and 27 moon exploration missions, it said in a press release, citing Russian aggression against Ukraine and sanctions placed on Russia in its reasoning.

The country’s invasion of its western neighbor has caused a “fundamental change of circumstances [making] it impossible for ESA to implement the planned lunar cooperation,” ESA added.

ESA and Roscosmos were planning to launch the three missions starting later in 2022 with Luna 25. Luna 26 was scheduled to follow two years later, and Luna 27 the following year.

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