MOSCOW, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Russia plans the country's first manned mission to the moon in 2031, RIA Novosti news agency reported Saturday, citing a document by the Russian Central Research Institute of Machine Building.

Full moon in the sky. (File Photo: VCG)

The crew members are expected to conduct astronauts' activities on the moon and implement tasks set by the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Russia plans to send a rover to the moon to transport astronauts in 2032. The second expedition team will test the vehicle.

A year later, astronauts are expected to take long-distance trips on the lunar rover to carry out scientific experiments and test robotic systems.

Russia aims to start the construction of a lunar base in 2034 and it will continue into 2035.

Russia is actively implementing a lunar program through 2030, aiming to send astronauts to the moon, President Vladimir Putin said in April 2018.

The Federatsiya spacecraft was nearing completion, while work had begun on creating a rocket for the moon projects, he said.