The Russian spacecraft Luna-25 has crash-landed on the moon and disappeared. The news agency Reuters was the first to report.
– I think it’s a lot of prestige to show that you have the technology, the innovation and the knowledgeable staff. That’s why I think Russia sent this up, says Anna Rathsman, Director General of the Swedish Space Agency
A Russian spacecraft has crash-landed on the moon.
It is about the Russian Luna-25 that was delayed last week. Problems with the lunar lander were already reported during Saturday night. According to the Reuters news agency, the craft spun out of control before crashing on the moon.
Russia, which used to be at the forefront of space, has now fallen behind, says Anna Rathsman, director general of the Swedish Space Agency.
– I think it’s a lot of prestige to show that you have the technology, the innovation and the knowledgeable staff. That’s why I think Russia sent this one up. Whether they were really prepared and they were just unlucky, I don’t really know, she says.
Russia’s state space agency Roscosmos believes that the craft went into an unpredictable orbit and disappeared. According to Roskosmos, it happened as a result of a collision with the surface of the moon.
The plan was for the craft to land on the moon’s south pole on Monday. It was supposed to be on the moon for a year to take samples and do analysis.
– They think there is frozen water there. They want to investigate whether or how to extract the water and use it for settlements and develop it further, says Anna Rathsman, Director General of the Swedish Space Agency.
Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Space Agency (ESA) was to assist the country in the launch of Luna-25, according to TT. But ESA pulled out when the war was a fact.
– Basically everything has been finished and they did it all at once. What remains is what is done on the International Space Station (ISS), it has always stood above it all. Otherwise, all research collaborations are basically finished, says Anna Rathsman.
Russia has not made an expedition to the moon in almost 50 years. Roscosmos is now said to be investigating what caused the crash.