Russia's lunar exploration endeavor faced a setback as the "Luna-25" station, which was expected to make a historic landing on the Moon, encountered a collision and lost communication. The incident was confirmed by "Roscosmos," the Russian space agency, and marks a significant development in the country's renewed efforts to explore Earth's natural satellite.
Mission disruption
RIA Novosti reported that the "Luna-25" station experienced a collision with the Moon's surface during its descent. The maneuver was executed as a final step before landing, with the impulse provided on August 19. Regrettably, communication with the station was abruptly lost at 14:57 Moscow time, rendering it inoperative.
Efforts were made to locate and re-establish communication with the stricken station, but these endeavors proved unsuccessful. The absence of contact with "Luna-25" led to concerns about the mission's outcome and prompted a swift response from "Roscosmos."
The space agency announced that an interdepartmental commission has been formed to investigate the circumstances behind the loss of the station. This commission will strive to uncover the reasons for the unfortunate incident and gather insights to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Lunar mission
The "Luna-25" mission marked a pivotal moment for Russia's space exploration program. Launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur region on August 11, the mission aimed to break a nearly 50-year hiatus in lunar exploration. The primeary objective of the mission was to study the presence of ice within the lunar soil, a crucial aspect for potential future human activities on the Moon.
"#Luna25" station #transmits first #pictures from #space
— Daryo | Central Asia & Afghanistan (@DaryoEng) August 14, 2023
🇷🇺🚀🛰️#Russia's Luna-25 #mission, launched from #Vostochny, aims for a #moon's #SouthPole landing, #signifying scientific #resurgence and #geopolitical aspirations.
👉Details — https://t.co/jQBZiLTShc… pic.twitter.com/u9mFbCSMkT
During its journey, the "Luna-25" station transmitted valuable scientific data and captured images of the Moon's surface, including the Zeeman crater located at its southern pole. These endeavors were expected to contribute to a deeper understanding of the Moon's composition and its suitability for future exploration.
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