Rocket carrying Russian probe to the Moon lifts off

Russia launched a Soyuz rocket carrying a probe to the Moon on Friday kicking off its first mission to the celestial body in nearly 50 years.

The rocket with the Luna-25 probe lifted off at 02:10 am Moscow time from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East.

It has successfully entered orbit around the earth and will soon enter lunar orbit before eventually landing on the south pole of the moon.

It will be Russia’s first lander since 1976 and the first research station to land on the moon’s south pole.