Why Luna-25 Crashed: A Detailed Analysis

Why Luna-25 Crashed: A Detailed Analysis

On August 22, 2023, the world woke up to the news of the crash of Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft   The Luna-25, a pilotless mission aiming to become the first to land on the moon’s south pole, suffered a mishap during its landing attempt.  The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, confirmed that the Luna-25 spacecraft crashed into the moon due to engine failure.

The Cause of the Crash

According to Roscosmos Director General Yury Borisov, the spacecraft’s engines were turned on over the weekend to put Luna-25 into a “pre-landing orbit" but did not shut down properly . Instead of the planned 84 seconds, the engines worked for 127 seconds . This extended operation time caused the spacecraft to plunge onto the moon.

The Aftermath

The Luna-25 mission was Russia’s first lunar mission since 1976, when it was part of the Soviet Union5. The crash of Luna-25 marks a setback in Russia’s renewed lunar exploration efforts. However, despite this setback, Borisov vowed to “stay in the lunar race” . He emphasized that "In no case should the lunar programme be interrupted, that would be the worst decision".

The Underlying Issue

Borisov attributed the failure of Luna-25 to Russia’s decades-long pause in lunar exploration . He stated that "The negative experience of interrupting the lunar program for almost 50 years is the main reason for the failures".  This highlights the challenges faced by space agencies when reviving dormant space programs.

In conclusion, while the crash of Luna-25 is undoubtedly a setback for Roscosmos and its lunar exploration efforts, it also serves as a reminder of the complexities and challenges inherent in space exploration. Despite this incident, Roscosmos remains committed to its lunar program and is determined to learn from this experience.