Russia’s Luna-25 unmanned spacecraft has crashed into the moon after spiraling out of control, officials said.
It was Russia’s first lunar mission in almost 50 years.
The spacecraft was supposed to be the first to land on the south pole of the Moon, but failed after encountering problems moving in its pre-landing orbit.
The mission was set up to explore a part of the Moon that scientists believe may contain water ice and precious elements.
Roscosmos, the Russian space company, said on Sunday morning that it lost contact with Luna-25 shortly after 7:57 on Saturday (8/19).
Preliminary information showed that the 800 kg spacecraft “ceased to exist following a collision with the surface of the Moon,” a statement read.
He said a special commission would investigate why the mission failed.
The loss of Luna-25 is a heavy blow for Roscosmos. Russia’s civilian space program has been in decline for several years as state funding is increasingly directed to the military.
Russia was racing to the south pole of the moon against India, whose Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is due to land there next week.
Once Chandrayaan-3 lands, it will take hours for the dust to settle before the six-wheeled rover roams over rocks and craters on the Moon’s surface, gathering crucial data and images to send back to Earth for analysis.
The surface area of the Moon’s south pole that is permanently in shadow is much larger than that of the Moon’s north pole, making it more likely to find water there.
Roscosmos acknowledged that the Luna-25 mission was risky and could fail. The spacecraft was launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region of Russia on August 11 and successfully entered the moon’s orbit on Wednesday this week.
The mission was expected to make history by making a soft landing on Monday or Tuesday, just days before the Indian landing.
No country has landed on the Moon’s south pole before, although both the United States and China have landed softly on the Moon’s surface.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
