Russia’s First Lunar Mission in Decades Ends in Failure as Luna 25 Spacecraft Crashes Into Moon’s Surface
Russia’s lunar mission, aimed at completing its first lunar landing in 47 years, has ended in failure with the Luna 25 spacecraft crashing into the moon’s surface. The incident occurred after communication with the robotic spacecraft was interrupted, dealing a blow to Russia’s space ambitions.
According to Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, communication with Luna 25 was lost on Saturday afternoon, and subsequent attempts to locate and establish contact with the spacecraft were unsuccessful. A preliminary analysis suggests that Luna 25 veered off its intended orbit before the crash, but the exact cause remains unknown. A commission has been formed to investigate the incident.
The crash came just a day after the spacecraft reported an “emergency situation” as it attempted to enter a pre-landing orbit. Roscosmos stated that an issue onboard the spacecraft prevented the maneuver from being executed according to the specified parameters.
The Luna 25 probe, also known as Luna-Glob-Lander, was launched on August 10 from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. Its mission was to study the composition of the moon’s soil and its thin atmosphere, known as the lunar exosphere, for one year. The spacecraft was headed for the moon’s south polar region, which is of great interest to scientists due to its unexplored nature and potential for water ice deposits.
The trajectory of Luna 25 allowed it to surpass India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, which launched in July. However, astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell clarified that the projects of both countries had been in development for over a decade, debunking claims of a race to the lunar south pole.
The failure of Luna 25 is a setback for Russia’s civil space program, which has faced various challenges over the years. The country’s space agency has grappled with issues of quality control, corruption, and funding. The unsuccessful mission underscores the difficulties of landing on celestial objects and serves as a reminder that past successes do not guarantee present achievements, according to Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s former head of science.
Meanwhile, India’s Chandrayaan-3 is set to attempt its landing on the moon’s surface on Wednesday, August 23. If successful, it will mark India’s first triumphant lunar touchdown following the failure of Chandrayaan-2 in 2019.
The crash of Luna 25 has elicited sympathy from the space community, with experts acknowledging the challenges and complexities involved in space exploration. The incident highlights the inherent risks and uncertainties that come with such high-profile missions and the need for continuous learning and improvement in the field of space exploration.