Russia’s Luna 25 spacecraft has crashed into the Moon

https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/08/russia-seems-to-have-lost-contact-with-its-first-lunar-probe-in-half-a-century/

by ed_westin • 3 years ago

11 2 3 years ago

ed_westin• 3 years ago

August 20, 2023

"State Corporation Roscosmos

On August 19, in accordance with the flight program of the Luna-25 spacecraft, an impulse was provided to form its pre-landing elliptical orbit.

At about 14:57 Moscow time[UTC+3], communication with the Luna-25 spacecraft was interrupted.

The measures taken on August 19 and 20 to search for the device and get into contact with it did not produce any results.

According to the results of a preliminary analysis, due to the deviation of the actual parameters of the impulse from the calculated ones, the device switched to an off-design orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the lunar surface.

A specially formed interdepartmental commission will deal with the issues of clarifying the reasons for the loss of the Moon."

[Google Translate] https://t.me/s/roscosmos_gk

simne• 3 years ago

From my knowing of Soviet system, it is surprise, they reach so far, not stuck on LEO.

From Soviet experience, they don't use benches, all discovered on production, and as budgets limited, progress extremely slow.

For example, what European nations made from 2-3 try, Soviets made same from 7-9 tries.

So as they made 2 attempts to reach Moon in 30 years, they need to spent additional 5*10..15 = 50..75 years.

Russia’s Luna 25 spacecraft has crashed into the Moon

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