Russia’s Luna 25 mission launches to the moon
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/10/world/ru ... index.html
Russia has successfully launched Luna 25, the country’s first lunar lander in 47 years.
The uncrewed spacecraft lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur Oblast, Russia. Hitching a ride aboard a Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket, Luna 25 took flight at 8:10 a.m. local time Friday, or 7:10 p.m. ET Thursday.
Residents of a Russian village were temporarily evacuated Friday morning since there is a “one in a million chance” that one of Luna 25’s rocket stages could fall there, according to Reuters.
The spacecraft is expected to first enter an orbit around Earth before transferring to a lunar orbit and ultimately descending to the surface of the moon. Russia’s last lunar lander, Luna 24, landed on the moon on August 18, 1976.
Luna 25 and India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, which launched in mid-July, are both expected to land at the lunar south pole on August 23, and it’s a race to see which country will land first, according to Reuters. But Roscomos said the two missions are not expected to cause a problem for each other because their specific landing zones differ, Reuters reported.
Luna 25’s journey
Luna 25, also called the Luna-Glob-Lander, will study the composition of the moon’s polar soil and the plasma and dust contained in the very thin lunar exosphere, or the moon’s scant atmosphere, for one year.
The four-legged lander includes landing rockets, propellant tanks, solar panels, computers and a robotic arm equipped with a scoop to collect lunar samples, as well as a suite of instruments to study the samples and exosphere, according to NASA.
Initially, Roscosmos and the European Space Agency planned to partner on Luna 25, as well as Luna 26, Luna 27 and the ExoMars rover.
But that partnership ceased in April 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the ESA Council moved to “discontinue cooperative activities with Russia.”
The future of moon exploration
Meanwhile, Chandrayaan-3, which includes a lander, rover and propulsion module, lifted off on July 14 and entered lunar orbit last weekend.
The mission is India’s second attempt to land at the lunar south pole after Chandrayaan-2 crashed into the moon in September 2019. If successful, the latest mission would make India only the fourth country to achieve the complicated feat, behind the United States, the former Soviet Union and China. Once on the surface, Chandrayaan-3 will spend a couple of weeks conducting a series of scientific experiments to learn more about the moon’s composition.
NASA plans to land a woman and a person of color on the moon for the first time at the lunar south pole in late 2025 during the Artemis III mission.
The reason so many missions have been designed to explore this region of the moon is due to its potential resources. Deep, permanently shadowed craters at the lunar south pole may contain ice that could be used for drinking water, oxygen and fuel — a key consideration as agencies like NASA look to sustainably explore the moon for longer periods of time in the future.
“We’re going to see several spacecraft, some perhaps from other nations, that are going to be landing on the south pole in the near future,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson during a news conference Tuesday. “There’s a renewed interest in the moon and of course it’s there because the potential of water. We’re going back to learn to live in a deep space environment for long periods of time, so that we can go to Mars and return safely.”
When asked about the upcoming Luna 25 launch, Nelson said “we wish them well,” noting that NASA has had a cooperative relationship with its Russian counterpart dating back to the Soviet era since 1975.
PP
Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Russia’s lander experiences ‘emergency situation’ while approaching lunar surface
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/19/world/ru ... index.html
CNN
—
The Luna 25 spacecraft reported an “emergency situation on board,” Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, said on Saturday.
An incident occurred as the spacecraft was trying to enter a pre-landing orbit, according to Roscosmos.
“During the operation, an emergency situation occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the maneuver to be performed with the specified parameters,” Roscosmos said in a Telegram post.
“The management team is currently analyzing the situation,” the space agency added.
It’s not yet clear if the issue will prevent the lunar lander, which was slated to land near the moon’s south pole as soon as Monday, from attempting a touchdown.
Russia’s Luna 25 lander mission marked the country’s first attempt at landing a spacecraft on the moon since the Soviet era. The last lunar lander, Luna 24, landed on the lunar surface on August 18, 1976.
A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage and the lunar landing spacecraft Luna-25 blasts off from a launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, in this still image from video taken August 11, 2023. Roscosmos/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.
Russia’s Luna 25 mission launches to the moon
The spacecraft launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Amur Oblast aboard a Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket on August 10, setting the vehicle on a swift trip to the moon.
Luna 25’s trajectory allowed it to surpass India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, which launched in mid-July, on the way to the lunar surface.
Media characterizations that India and Russia are racing for the lunar south pole, however, aren’t entirely accurate, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, a researcher at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian. He pointed out that both projects have been in the works for more than a decade.
Safely landing a spacecraft on the lunar surface would mark a huge step for Russia’s space program.
Luna 25 is also seen as a proving ground for future robotic lunar exploration missions by Roscosmos. Several future Luna missions are slated to make use of the same spacecraft design.
Russia is also seeking to prove that its civil space program, which some experts say has faced issues for decades, can still perform in high-profile, high-stakes missions.
“They were having a lot of problems with quality control, corruption, with funding,” said Victoria Samson, the Washington office director for Secure World Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes the peaceful exploration of outer space.
PP
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/19/world/ru ... index.html
CNN
—
The Luna 25 spacecraft reported an “emergency situation on board,” Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, said on Saturday.
An incident occurred as the spacecraft was trying to enter a pre-landing orbit, according to Roscosmos.
“During the operation, an emergency situation occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the maneuver to be performed with the specified parameters,” Roscosmos said in a Telegram post.
“The management team is currently analyzing the situation,” the space agency added.
It’s not yet clear if the issue will prevent the lunar lander, which was slated to land near the moon’s south pole as soon as Monday, from attempting a touchdown.
Russia’s Luna 25 lander mission marked the country’s first attempt at landing a spacecraft on the moon since the Soviet era. The last lunar lander, Luna 24, landed on the lunar surface on August 18, 1976.
A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage and the lunar landing spacecraft Luna-25 blasts off from a launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, in this still image from video taken August 11, 2023. Roscosmos/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.
Russia’s Luna 25 mission launches to the moon
The spacecraft launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Amur Oblast aboard a Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket on August 10, setting the vehicle on a swift trip to the moon.
Luna 25’s trajectory allowed it to surpass India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, which launched in mid-July, on the way to the lunar surface.
Media characterizations that India and Russia are racing for the lunar south pole, however, aren’t entirely accurate, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, a researcher at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian. He pointed out that both projects have been in the works for more than a decade.
Safely landing a spacecraft on the lunar surface would mark a huge step for Russia’s space program.
Luna 25 is also seen as a proving ground for future robotic lunar exploration missions by Roscosmos. Several future Luna missions are slated to make use of the same spacecraft design.
Russia is also seeking to prove that its civil space program, which some experts say has faced issues for decades, can still perform in high-profile, high-stakes missions.
“They were having a lot of problems with quality control, corruption, with funding,” said Victoria Samson, the Washington office director for Secure World Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes the peaceful exploration of outer space.
PP
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Russia’s lander experiences ‘emergency situation’ while approaching lunar surface
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/19/world/ru ... index.html
CNN
—
The Luna 25 spacecraft reported an “emergency situation on board,” Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, said on Saturday.
An incident occurred as the spacecraft was trying to enter a pre-landing orbit, according to Roscosmos.
“During the operation, an emergency situation occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the maneuver to be performed with the specified parameters,” Roscosmos said in a Telegram post.
“The management team is currently analyzing the situation,” the space agency added.
It’s not yet clear if the issue will prevent the lunar lander, which was slated to land near the moon’s south pole as soon as Monday, from attempting a touchdown.
Russia’s Luna 25 lander mission marked the country’s first attempt at landing a spacecraft on the moon since the Soviet era. The last lunar lander, Luna 24, landed on the lunar surface on August 18, 1976.
A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage and the lunar landing spacecraft Luna-25 blasts off from a launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, in this still image from video taken August 11, 2023. Roscosmos/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.
Russia’s Luna 25 mission launches to the moon
The spacecraft launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Amur Oblast aboard a Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket on August 10, setting the vehicle on a swift trip to the moon.
Luna 25’s trajectory allowed it to surpass India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, which launched in mid-July, on the way to the lunar surface.
Media characterizations that India and Russia are racing for the lunar south pole, however, aren’t entirely accurate, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, a researcher at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian. He pointed out that both projects have been in the works for more than a decade.
Safely landing a spacecraft on the lunar surface would mark a huge step for Russia’s space program.
Luna 25 is also seen as a proving ground for future robotic lunar exploration missions by Roscosmos. Several future Luna missions are slated to make use of the same spacecraft design.
Russia is also seeking to prove that its civil space program, which some experts say has faced issues for decades, can still perform in high-profile, high-stakes missions.
“They were having a lot of problems with quality control, corruption, with funding,” said Victoria Samson, the Washington office director for Secure World Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes the peaceful exploration of outer space.
PP
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/19/world/ru ... index.html
CNN
—
The Luna 25 spacecraft reported an “emergency situation on board,” Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, said on Saturday.
An incident occurred as the spacecraft was trying to enter a pre-landing orbit, according to Roscosmos.
“During the operation, an emergency situation occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the maneuver to be performed with the specified parameters,” Roscosmos said in a Telegram post.
“The management team is currently analyzing the situation,” the space agency added.
It’s not yet clear if the issue will prevent the lunar lander, which was slated to land near the moon’s south pole as soon as Monday, from attempting a touchdown.
Russia’s Luna 25 lander mission marked the country’s first attempt at landing a spacecraft on the moon since the Soviet era. The last lunar lander, Luna 24, landed on the lunar surface on August 18, 1976.
A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage and the lunar landing spacecraft Luna-25 blasts off from a launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far eastern Amur region, Russia, in this still image from video taken August 11, 2023. Roscosmos/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.
Russia’s Luna 25 mission launches to the moon
The spacecraft launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Amur Oblast aboard a Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket on August 10, setting the vehicle on a swift trip to the moon.
Luna 25’s trajectory allowed it to surpass India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander, which launched in mid-July, on the way to the lunar surface.
Media characterizations that India and Russia are racing for the lunar south pole, however, aren’t entirely accurate, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, a researcher at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian. He pointed out that both projects have been in the works for more than a decade.
Safely landing a spacecraft on the lunar surface would mark a huge step for Russia’s space program.
Luna 25 is also seen as a proving ground for future robotic lunar exploration missions by Roscosmos. Several future Luna missions are slated to make use of the same spacecraft design.
Russia is also seeking to prove that its civil space program, which some experts say has faced issues for decades, can still perform in high-profile, high-stakes missions.
“They were having a lot of problems with quality control, corruption, with funding,” said Victoria Samson, the Washington office director for Secure World Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes the peaceful exploration of outer space.
PP
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OFSO
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Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Out of control descent onto the surface of the moon. Lander is a total loss. No doubt hit by a Ukrainian drone.
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OneHungLow
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Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Another crater on the moon.
The observer of fools in military south and north...
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Woody
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Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Don’t worry folks, the DM has the story covered 
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... ilure.html
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... ilure.html
When all else fails, read the instructions.
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OFSO
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Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Shunted into orbit, eh ? One has visions of a tank engine.....
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
'The apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the Moon,' Roskosmos said in a statement.
So...The Russian version of Musk's RUD.
Russian sources are already blaming endemic corruption inside the agency for the failure of the mission. Putin is expected to axe top space officials over the disaster.
Actually, they are volunteers for the next manned lunar mission.
PP
So...The Russian version of Musk's RUD.
Russian sources are already blaming endemic corruption inside the agency for the failure of the mission. Putin is expected to axe top space officials over the disaster.
Actually, they are volunteers for the next manned lunar mission.
PP
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
If I were any of the top space officials I would keep away from windows.
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OFSO
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Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Casting my mind back years I remember that whereas ESA and NASA spacraft were designed with a high degree of autonomy Russian vehicles were not. The problem here is multiple: for example if the spacraft loses its orientation the high gain antenna no longer points at earth, or the solar cells don't see the sun. Another one is that of everything depending on the spacecraft controller executing the correct command sequence. Get it wrong, you are done for. The spacecraft "doesn't know" how to recover.
Example: If an ESA spacecraft felt it was in a dangerous or threatening area, it would power down the payload, orient to maximise solar power, and using stars for orientation point the antenna back at earth. And wait. Or procedures to warm the fuel on board using solar energy to keep the batteries from freezing in eclipse: an afterthought but uploaded and installed into the on-board computer. Or running the gyros at only 80% speed to reduce bearing wear and "tell" the spacecraft this was normal. All devised after reaching orbit and uploaded into the spacecraft's internal memory.
Example: If an ESA spacecraft felt it was in a dangerous or threatening area, it would power down the payload, orient to maximise solar power, and using stars for orientation point the antenna back at earth. And wait. Or procedures to warm the fuel on board using solar energy to keep the batteries from freezing in eclipse: an afterthought but uploaded and installed into the on-board computer. Or running the gyros at only 80% speed to reduce bearing wear and "tell" the spacecraft this was normal. All devised after reaching orbit and uploaded into the spacecraft's internal memory.
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Well, it's in geostationary orbit now.
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
lunastationary?
Wednesday midday UK time when it is going to ........?
Wednesday midday UK time when it is going to ........?
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OFSO
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Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
It is not possible to have a lunar orbiter stationary over the moon's surface as you can an earth satellite.
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Lunar lander crashed into moon because of engine issue, head of Russian space agency says
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/21/world/ru ... index.html
The loss of Luna 25, Russia’s first moon mission in decades, likely came down to engine failure, Yury Borisov, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, told state media on Monday.
“Before making adjustments, the spacecraft reoriented, and at 14:10 the engines were turned on, that were supposed to correct the course and lead the spacecraft to pre-landing orbit. Unfortunately, the engine shutdown did not occur normally in accordance with the cyclogram, but according to a temporary cutoff,” Borisov said in an interview that aired on the state station Russia-24, which was shared by Roscosmos.
“Instead of the planned 84 seconds, the engine worked for 127 seconds,” he added. “This was the main cause of the spacecraft’s crash.”
He added that the engine burn had been previously tested on ground simulators, according to the interview.
Roscosmos lost contact with the Luna 25 spacecraft on Saturday. The mission was declared dead by the following day.
“The entire experiment was carried out in the zone of stable radio communication,” Borisov said, indicating that contact was likely severed solely because the spacecraft crash-landed.
Russia’s lander experiences ‘emergency situation’ while approaching lunar surface
Roscosmos, through its Telegram channel, already revealed that Luna 25 was attempting to use its onboard thrusters to adjust its orbit before the loss of communication occurred.
The spacecraft was headed for the moon’s south pole region, where it was expected to land as soon as Monday. But attempts to regain contact with Luna 25 over the weekend were unsuccessful, leading Roscosmos to conclude it crash-landed.
A special commission will investigate the reasons for the loss of Luna 25, the Russian space agency said.
Borisov said the interruption of the lunar program for almost 50 years also played a part in the crash.
“We have to essentially master all the technologies all over again — of course, at a new technical level,” he said.
A report from Russia’s state-owned news agency, TASS, also revealed that the country now plans to expedite its plans for additional Luna missions, including Luna 26 and Luna 27.
Putting the setback in perspective
Luna 25 was expected to mark a massive milestone for Russia’s civil space program. The country has not landed a spacecraft on the moon since the Soviet era.
The last Luna mission, Luna 24, landed on the moon on August 18, 1976.
The moon’s south pole is an area of widespread interest in the global space community because it remains largely unexplored. The region is also believed to be home to stores of water ice, which could be a valuable resource for future deep-space missions, according to scientists. Water ice could provide rocket fuel and even drinking water for astronauts.
Russia’s Luna 25 was expected to land closer to the moon’s south pole than any mission in history. India’s lunar lander Chandrayaan-3 remains in the running to achieve this milestone. The spacecraft is aiming to attempt its landing as soon as Wednesday.
The area is difficult to reach because of the orbital mechanics involved.
PP
https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/21/world/ru ... index.html
The loss of Luna 25, Russia’s first moon mission in decades, likely came down to engine failure, Yury Borisov, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, told state media on Monday.
“Before making adjustments, the spacecraft reoriented, and at 14:10 the engines were turned on, that were supposed to correct the course and lead the spacecraft to pre-landing orbit. Unfortunately, the engine shutdown did not occur normally in accordance with the cyclogram, but according to a temporary cutoff,” Borisov said in an interview that aired on the state station Russia-24, which was shared by Roscosmos.
“Instead of the planned 84 seconds, the engine worked for 127 seconds,” he added. “This was the main cause of the spacecraft’s crash.”
He added that the engine burn had been previously tested on ground simulators, according to the interview.
Roscosmos lost contact with the Luna 25 spacecraft on Saturday. The mission was declared dead by the following day.
“The entire experiment was carried out in the zone of stable radio communication,” Borisov said, indicating that contact was likely severed solely because the spacecraft crash-landed.
Russia’s lander experiences ‘emergency situation’ while approaching lunar surface
Roscosmos, through its Telegram channel, already revealed that Luna 25 was attempting to use its onboard thrusters to adjust its orbit before the loss of communication occurred.
The spacecraft was headed for the moon’s south pole region, where it was expected to land as soon as Monday. But attempts to regain contact with Luna 25 over the weekend were unsuccessful, leading Roscosmos to conclude it crash-landed.
A special commission will investigate the reasons for the loss of Luna 25, the Russian space agency said.
Borisov said the interruption of the lunar program for almost 50 years also played a part in the crash.
“We have to essentially master all the technologies all over again — of course, at a new technical level,” he said.
A report from Russia’s state-owned news agency, TASS, also revealed that the country now plans to expedite its plans for additional Luna missions, including Luna 26 and Luna 27.
Putting the setback in perspective
Luna 25 was expected to mark a massive milestone for Russia’s civil space program. The country has not landed a spacecraft on the moon since the Soviet era.
The last Luna mission, Luna 24, landed on the moon on August 18, 1976.
The moon’s south pole is an area of widespread interest in the global space community because it remains largely unexplored. The region is also believed to be home to stores of water ice, which could be a valuable resource for future deep-space missions, according to scientists. Water ice could provide rocket fuel and even drinking water for astronauts.
Russia’s Luna 25 was expected to land closer to the moon’s south pole than any mission in history. India’s lunar lander Chandrayaan-3 remains in the running to achieve this milestone. The spacecraft is aiming to attempt its landing as soon as Wednesday.
The area is difficult to reach because of the orbital mechanics involved.
PP
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
So if it burned for 127 seconds instead of 84, it clearly performed 50% better than expected.
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Woody
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Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
I expect that he’ll recover enough to get an urge to look out of his hospital window fairly soon 
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Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Instead of the planned 84 seconds, the engine worked for 127 seconds,” he added. “This was the main cause of the spacecraft’s crash.”
Doesn't make sense. That would have raised the orbit. Unless spacecraft was flying "backwards' and that was a braking thrust to lower the orbit. 84 seconds seems a lot, though.
Doesn't make sense. That would have raised the orbit. Unless spacecraft was flying "backwards' and that was a braking thrust to lower the orbit. 84 seconds seems a lot, though.
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Depends - if the 84 seconds was supposed to end up with it exactly on the surface with zero impact, another 43 seconds would have bumped it up high enough that when it came down again, it would hit a lot harder.
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Crowds are assembling on the Moon in anticipation of the arrival of the Indian spaceship to see whether it lands safely.
Re: Luna 25 on the Way to the Moon
Will there be a 'take-away' from all this?