Russia’s lunar aspirations have been dealt a blow with the Luna-25 probe, the nation’s first lunar mission in nearly 50 years, crashing on the Moon’s surface during pre-landing maneuvers. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, confirmed the crash and the abrupt loss of communication at 2:57 pm (11:57 GMT). Preliminary findings indicate that the probe entered an unpredictable orbit and collided with the lunar surface.
Roscosmos revealed that an emergency situation occurred during the attempt to transfer the probe onto its pre-landing orbit, preventing the intended maneuver. Despite efforts on August 19 and 20 to locate the probe and reestablish communication, no success was achieved.
In a bid to understand the causes behind the crash, Roscosmos intends to launch a ministerial investigation. However, the agency has refrained from disclosing specific technical issues that may have led to this unfortunate outcome.
The Luna-25 probe, weighing 800 kilograms, aimed for a groundbreaking soft landing on the lunar south pole—a feat never before achieved. Russia’s last endeavor to land on a celestial body dates back to 1989, when the Soviet Union’s Phobos 2 probe failed due to an onboard computer malfunction during its mission to explore Mars’ moons.
Despite the risks acknowledged by Yuri Borisov, the head of Roscosmos, who estimated a 70 percent chance of success, Luna-25’s successful entry into the Moon’s orbit was a significant milestone. The mission’s original objectives included a year-long stay on the Moon to gather soil samples and search for water. Images of the lunar surface had already been captured by cameras aboard the lander.
The Luna-25 mission represented a crucial step for Russia, seeking to build upon the legacy of its Soviet-era Luna program. This undertaking occurred amid both internal and external geopolitical challenges faced by the country.
