Russia launched its first moon-landing spacecraft in 47 years on Friday. The country plans to launch further lunar missions, including exploring the possibility of a joint Russian-Chinese crewed mission and even a lunar base. Major powers such as the US, China, and India aim to discover more about the moon, its water, and minerals such as helium-3 and rare earth metals, which are used in smartphones, computers, and advanced technologies. The law regarding moon mining is unclear.