Russia will launch the space mission to Mars in 2019, Vladimir Putin said.
He said the unmanned mission will be followed by manned missions in the Kremlin’s new focus on deep space.
He said on a TV documentary shown today: “We are planning unmanned and later manned launches – into deep space, as part of a lunar program and for Mars exploration.
“The closest mission is very soon, we are planning to launch a mission to Mars in 2019.”
He said another lunary mission was also in the works.
Putin said: “Our specialists will try landing near the poles because there are reasons to expect water there.
“There is research to be done there, and from that, research of other planets and outer space can be undertaken.”
This is a developing story, more to follow…