Luna 25
Introduction
Luna 25 was an unsuccessful “Russian lunar lander” initiative by “Roscosmos” back in “August 2023” and was planned to “land near the lunar south pole” near the Boguslawsky crater. Despite being part of the “Soviet Luna program in the 1970s, it was later renamed Luna 25 to emphasise its continuity with the previous and current Luna programs.” Roscosmos has launched the first Moon lander, and it is also expected to be the initial lunar probe to reach the south pole of the moon. The space agency will also determine which countries are headed by these astronomers.
History
The last lunar lander in that series was a “Soviet craft Luna 24, which was launched in 1976.” It was embryonic plans due to which Luna 25 was initiated in the late 1990s, with the assessment of two designs of spacecraft having taken place in the year of 1998. Several attempts were made to complete the project consistently within the 2000s and it was also “punctuated by an aborted attempt at International cooperation through a merger with JAXA’s now cancelled Lunar-A orbiter.”
Overview
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter - spacecraft came into being which was planned to land on the surface of the moon and has likely impacted the site of the Luna 25 mission of Russia. It is significant to note that one of the significant space agencies of Russia, Roscosmos was responsible for publishing an estimate of the implications on August 21. The LROC team and the LRO Operations Mission team had the potential “to design and send commands to the spacecraft” the very next day and try to “capture images of the site.” “The sequence began on August 24 at around 2:15 p.m. and was completed in nearly 4 hours.” It is also noted that a new creator was about 10 m in diameter and was positioned at “57.865 degrees South latitude and approximately 61.363 degrees east longitude for the elevation of about minus 360 metres.” The impact point was quite steep, about 400 km short of the intended landing point of “Luna 25 which was 69.545 degrees south, 43.544 degrees east.”
The mission ended in failure after the lander crashed on the surface of the moon. It is significant that packed with over 30 kg of scientific instruments, the mission was prepared for unravelling the mysteries of the South Pole. There was a robotic arm with the potential to gather soil samples, a drill for deeper core analysis and a spectrometer which was responsible for the composition of analysis, were among the major tools. These instruments have also unveiled the significance of water which maps the composition of regulation and highlights the geological procedures that shaped that region. However, the journey ended with the crash of Luna 25 on the surface of the moon on 19th August 2023. The exact cause for the crash remains under investigation which left a sense of what could have been.
The aerospace company of “Russia named NPO Lavochkin Designer” established the lander which usually had two significant parts including a landing platform with a proposition framework and the landing gear that also included a range metre that is utilised during the time of landing with a velocity. Moreover, on the lander, there was a non-pressurised instrument container for several items including radiators and television cameras. The loss of this lander was a great loss for Russia and its plan for flying multiple series of missions for the moon and its potential to develop a “permanent crewed-based on the moon along with China.”
Among myriad international projects conducted for exploring and comprehending the moon, with Luna 25 is one of these projects. Other space agencies such as the Apollo program by NASA and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, have already conducted successful missions to explode Mars. It was also the Chinese space agency’s Chang’s mission. It is significant to note that with the help of collaborative efforts, space agencies in the world have made fundamental strides in accomplishing and understanding the significance of the moon for scientific exploration and discovery. However, there have been some delays in the Luna 25 mission schedule since its announcement. It was originally scheduled in the early 2020s to be pushed back. According to several latest updates to launch in the mid-2020s and is currently making advancements towards accomplishing all its objectives.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that Luna 25 failed to accomplish its major objective, the quest for unravelling the secret of the moon appropriately. Various missions by multiple space agencies are underway including the Artemis program of NASA and Chang’s mission of China. This initiative is also built upon the knowledge accomplished by Luna 25 and contributed to the collective comprehension of this mission. The story of Luna 25 usually has an unfulfilled potential but it also served as a stepping stone with the purpose of unravelling the surface of the moon, particularly the South pole of the moon.
FAQ
1. When was the lander crashed on the surface of the moon?
It was on 19 August 2023 when Luna 25, the lander crashed on the surface of the moon and it was a huge loss for the mission implemented by Russia.
2. What are some of the major objectives of Luna 25?
The mission had two broader objectives which included to analyse the properties and composition of the lunar regolith at the South pole specifically focusing on the presence of water ice. Another is to recognise the plasma and dust environment in the exosphere of the lunar surface.