Russia’s space agency announced on Sunday that a Russian robotic spacecraft intended for the lunar surface has crashed into the moon, following a preliminary investigation after losing contact with the vehicle. This incident is the latest setback in spaceflight for Russia, a country that was the first to put a satellite, a man, and a woman in orbit during the Cold War. The Luna-25 lander, Russia’s first space launch to the moon since the 1970s, was scheduled to land on the moon’s surface on Monday. However, an “emergency situation” occurred during the engine firing, causing the spacecraft to deviate from its planned orbit and ultimately crash into the lunar surface.
The Luna-25 mission aimed to reach the moon’s south polar region, as many government space programs and private companies believe this area may contain valuable water ice resources that could benefit future astronauts. The main objective of the mission was to test technology for lunar landings, and the failure in a less risky phase of the mission will bring additional scrutiny to Russia’s space program.
The cause of failed missions during orbital engine firings is often attributed to manufacturing flaws or inadequate testing. These shortcomings were the reasons for the failure of Russia’s previous major robotic interplanetary probe, Phobos-Grunt, in 2011. Human error, such as the mix-up between metric and imperial units, has also been a contributing factor in past incidents.
Dr. Natan Eismont, a senior scientist at the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, mentioned that the spacecraft’s engine did not perform as expected during its course adjustments. This deviation from the planned trajectory may have been due to either excessive thrust or thrust in the wrong direction. Dr. Eismont suggested that mission managers should have taken more time before proceeding towards the landing.
The failure of the Luna-25 mission is a setback for President Vladimir V. Putin, who has used the country’s achievements in space as a symbol of Russian power. Russia’s exploration of Earth’s solar system has declined significantly since the Soviet era, with the last successful mission occurring more than 35 years ago. Financial and technological struggles, worsened by sanctions after the invasion of Ukraine, have led to delays in future space missions, including Russia’s plans to build a lunar base in collaboration with China.
Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, will face the difficult decision of whether to redo the Luna-25 mission or focus on more ambitious follow-up missions. The current challenges faced by Russia’s space program, along with the need to replace key components previously sourced from Europe, may result in further delays. The development of new space hardware, particularly reliable electronics suitable for space conditions, has been a struggle for Russia.
Overall, Russia’s space program must overcome various obstacles to regain its former prominence in space exploration. The failed Luna-25 mission adds to the setbacks experienced by Russia and highlights the need for improvement in manufacturing, testing, and technological capabilities.
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