Russia's Luna-25 crash left 10-meter wide crater on Moon's surface
 

Russia's Luna-25 crash left 10-meter wide crater on Moon's surface: NASA shares images
By: Devesh Kumar - Mints News - By: Devesh Kyumar - 01 Sep 2023, ~ 04:40 PM IST
Re: https://www.livemint.com/science/new...564510847.html

Luna-25 crashed on the moon's surface after entering an unintended orbit and spinning out of control.

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Images of the crater on moon's surface shared by NASA (NASA)

Russia's failed bid to land on the South Pole of the moon through its Luna-25 spacecraft has left a 10-meter-wide crater on the lunar surface, as per US Space Agency NASA. Luna-25 crashed on the moon's surface after entering an unintended orbit and spinning out of control. NASA made these revelations through its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft which shared images of a new crater on the surface of the moon.

LRO’s most recent "before" image of the area was captured in June 2022 thus, the crater formed sometime after that date. Since this new crater is close to the Luna 25 estimated impact point, the LRO team concludes it is likely to be from that mission, rather than a natural impactor.

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NASA informed that the new crater is about 10 meters in diameter and is located at 57.865 degrees south latitude and 61.360 degrees east longitude at an elevation of about minus 360 meters. "Since this new crater is close to the Luna-25 estimated impact point, the LRO team concludes it is likely to be from that mission, rather than a natural impactor," the space agency said as per Reuters.
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What caused Luna-25's crash?
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Luna-25 was Russia's first moon mission after 47 years and its failure points out the post-Soviet decline in its mighty space program. Russian space agency Roscosmos has formed a special inter-departmental commission to probe the crash of Luna-25 and find out the reasons behind the failure of the moon mission.
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The chief of Roscomos talked about the reasons behind the crash and explained that the engines of the spacecraft were activated for placing Luna-25 in the pre-landing orbit. These engines were not turned off as planned which led to uncontrolled descent of the lander onto the moon's surface.
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"The negative experience of interrupting the lunar program for almost 50 years is the main reason for the failures," Yury Borisov, the Director General of Roscosmos said.
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Personal note: No mention of any personal on the capsule.
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