Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashes into the moon, ending its bid to reach the lunar south pole

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Russia’s attempt to land the Luna-25 spacecraft on the moon’s south pole has come to an unfortunate end as the spacecraft crashed onto the lunar surface due to an uncontrollable orbit, as confirmed by the Roscosmos space agency on Sunday.

The Luna-25, an unmanned vehicle, had a significant goal of becoming the inaugural craft to touch down at the moon’s southern pole. This specific location holds promise for potential reserves of frozen water and valuable elements, according to scientific beliefs. Originally slated for a landing on Monday, the spacecraft faced problems and lost communication with Roscosmos on Saturday, signaling an “abnormal situation.”

The agency’s statement highlighted that the spacecraft veered into an unpredictable orbit and ultimately met its demise by colliding with the moon’s surface.

The Luna-25 was in competition with an Indian spacecraft, launched on July 14, to secure the distinction of being the first to reach the southern pole of the moon. Both spacecraft were anticipated to reach the moon sometime between August 21 and 23.

This lunar mission marked Russia’s first since 1976, when the country was part of the Soviet Union. Successful moon landings have only been accomplished by three nations: the United States, China, and the Soviet Union.

Researchers are particularly intrigued by the lunar south pole due to its potentially valuable permanently shadowed polar craters, which might house frozen water within the rocks—resources that future explorers could potentially convert into air and rocket fuel.

In 2019, a previous Indian endeavor to land at the southern pole resulted in a crash onto the moon’s surface.

The motivation behind Roscosmos’ efforts was to showcase Russia’s capacity to deliver payloads to the moon and guarantee the nation’s access to its surface. Sanctions imposed on Russia in response to its actions in Ukraine have impacted its space program by limiting its access to Western technology.

The Luna-25’s original plan included carrying a small moon rover; however, this concept was abandoned to enhance the craft’s reliability by reducing its weight, analysts explained.

The spacecraft was launched from Russia’s Far East Vostochny Cosmodrome on August 10. This spaceport holds significance as a personal project of Russian President Vladimir Putin, aligning with his ambition to establish Russia as a prominent force in space exploration.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Luna-25 mission