Russia’s ambitious lunar mission, the Luna-25 spacecraft, experienced a catastrophic failure after 47 years without a moon mission. The spacecraft, operated by Roskosmos, spun out of control and crashed into the moon due to a problem during pre-landing orbit preparation. The mission’s aim was to achieve a soft landing on the moon, but it ended in disappointment.
Roskosmos lost contact with the Luna-25 at 11:57 GMT on Saturday as it encountered difficulties while being positioned for pre-landing orbit. This failure raises concerns about the state of Russia’s space program and its ability to compete on a global scale.
The failure is indicative of Russia’s decline in space prowess compared to its Cold War glory days. Back then, Moscow was a leader in space exploration, launching the first satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957, and sending the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into space in 1961.
The incident comes amidst Russia’s facing multiple challenges, including Western sanctions and its involvement in a major conflict in Europe.
Despite the setback, Russia’s lunar ambitions were aimed at rivaling countries like India, China, and the United States, all of which have their own lunar missions underway. India’s Chandrayaan-3, for example, is scheduled to land on the moon’s south pole.
Experts note that the crash might impact Russia’s moon program, which includes plans for multiple missions in the coming years, potentially including collaborations with China.
The failure of the Luna-25 mission also highlights criticisms of Russia’s space program, citing issues such as mismanagement, corruption, and a decline in scientific education standards.
The disappointment was felt deeply by Russian scientists, with renowned physicist and astronomer Mikhail Marov expressing sadness over the failure, calling it a missed opportunity to revive the lunar program.
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