Russia’s Luna-25 probe experienced a crash on the moon due to an error in thruster firing, resulting in a loss of communication and a deviation from the intended orbit. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, announced the failure via the Telegram social media platform. This incident occurred after a previous orbit adjustment “burn” also encountered problems.
The failure of Luna-25 is a significant setback for the Russian space program, as it was aiming to expand its capabilities in the moon’s south polar region. This region is of particular interest due to the possibility of ice deposits in the permanently shadowed craters. Such ice could serve as a valuable resource for future astronauts, providing air, water, and even hydrogen rocket fuel.
Meanwhile, other nations are also actively pursuing lunar exploration. NASA’s Artemis program plans to send astronauts to the south polar region in the coming years, and China is working on plans to send its own astronauts, known as “taikonauts,” to the moon’s south pole. India also has ambitious plans, with its Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft currently in orbit around the moon, scheduled to land on the lunar surface soon.
The Luna-25 probe was launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome and initially entered lunar orbit successfully. However, despite targeting a landing two days before Chandrayaan-3, the probe encountered difficulties and crashed into the moon.
This failure adds to the challenges faced by the Russian space program in planetary exploration. Despite past successes, including multiple lunar sample return missions, Russia has had limited achievements in recent decades. In contrast, the United States, China, India, Japan, and the private sector have all announced plans for multiple moon missions, which could pave the way for lunar bases and future missions to Mars.
The next U.S. moon mission, a commercial endeavor funded by NASA, is set to launch later this year. Additionally, the Artemis program includes plans for piloted flights to the moon, with the first moon landing scheduled for late 2025.
It is disappointing for the Russian space program to face this setback, but the pursuit of lunar exploration continues globally, driven by the potential for scientific discoveries and future space exploration.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
