Russian space travel is experiencing a bitter moment: According to official information, the “Luna-25” spacecraft collided with the moon. Failure is not just a blow to science.
How great the disappointment is can be seen from the loud silence of the officials and the relevant well-known experts. Even hours after the failure of the mission became known, only the dry lines of the Roskosmos press release are read on Russian state television.
“Luna-25,” it says there, collided with the moon and no longer exists. A commission will be set up to investigate the exact reasons for the crash.
Roskosmos boss Yuri Borissow had repeatedly pointed out that the landing of a probe on the south side of the moon would not be a sure-fire success. Also in conversation with the Russian President at the end of June: “Such missions are of course always risky. In general, the probability that such a mission will be successful is estimated at around 70 percent.”
Hundredths can decide
The last phase before landing is considered to be particularly delicate. In 2019, according to science journalist Mikhail Kotov, India’s Chandra 2 spacecraft crashed while attempting to land in roughly the same spot on the moon’s south pole.
“Every mission has a multitude of technological problems that have to be circumvented. Everything has to work precisely,” says Kotow. It’s a matter of tenths or hundredths of a second to successfully complete a maneuver in order to prepare for the landing.
According to initial findings, one of these maneuvers on Saturday led to what is said to be an unscheduled situation. When trying to advance into a new orbit of the moon, the probe is said to have changed the parameters in automatic mode. The contact broke off and was no longer established.
According to the Russian space agency Roskosmos, an image from the camera of the “Luna-25” spacecraft shows the Zeeman crater on the back of the moon.
Moon station is actual goal
Actually, “Luna-25” should have landed on the moon during Monday. It was launched a week ago from the Russian Vostochny spaceport and entered the orbit of the Earth’s satellite on Wednesday. A short time later she had delivered the first pictures.
It is the first Russian lunar mission since 1976 – when the country was still part of the Soviet Union. It was considered an important step in getting closer to the actual goal: the construction of a moon station by 2040. It was hoped that knowledge about landing possibilities – and about water reservoirs would be gained.
“Water is important for the production of oxygen, should there ever be a manned base on the moon in the future,” explains journalist Kotov. At present, no oxygen is carried separately in tanks on the International Space Station (ISS), but water. “On board the ISS, water is then converted into oxygen with the help of the Russian ‘Electron VM’ system. The hydrogen produced is vented into space, oxygen is breathed accordingly, and a little nitrogen is added.”
Setback for Russian space travel
Instead of new insights, Roskosmos will now be dealing with the past again. After many years of delay, the dream of resuming old space successes with “Luna-25” has literally been shattered. A bitter moment for Russian space travel – and science.
But it was also a blow to the Russian government, which was determined to prove that, despite the war against Ukraine and despite the sanctions, it was one step ahead in the race against other nations.