MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Authors of the Russian Moon exploration concept predict that different countries will compete actively for exploration of the Earth satellite in next few decades and suggest Russia taking control over most promising areas on the Moon, Izvestia daily reported on Thursday, noting that the most precious area is the lunar south pole which is planned to be explored by Russia urgently.

Moon development initiatives have already been produced by several organizations involved in Russian space program, including rocket and space corporation Energia, Central Scientific-Research Institute of Machine-Building, the Institute of Space Research and Lavochkin Research-and-Production Association.

Senior official of Russian space agency Roscosmos Yuri Makarov told a news conference in TASS on October 10 that the Moon exploration was “a cornerstone” of a space discovery draft program delivered in cooperation with the Russian Academy of Sciences. On October 15 Roscosmos deputy head Denis Lyskov told TASS that the program planned a manned flight to the Moon after 2030.