TALLINN, Estonia. In a significant milestone, a rocket propelling a lunar landing craft was successfully launched on Friday, marking Russia’s first lunar mission in almost five decades. This endeavor races to reach the moon prior to an Indian spacecraft.
Departing from Russia’s Vostochny spaceport in the Far East, the Luna-25 craft is embarking on a mission to the moon, marking Russia’s first such venture since 1976, during the era of the Soviet Union.
Anticipated to arrive at the moon on August 23, the Russian lunar lander is set to coincide with an Indian spacecraft launched on July 14. The Russian spacecraft is projected to take approximately 5.5 days to journey to the vicinity of the moon. It will then orbit at an altitude of about 100 kilometers (62 miles) for a duration of three to seven days before making its descent to the lunar surface.
Among the limited group of nations to successfully execute moon landings are the Soviet Union, the United States, and China. Both India and Russia are vying to become the first to touch down at the moon’s southern pole.
Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, is determined to demonstrate the nation’s capability to deliver payloads to the moon. Additionally, the mission aims to secure Russia’s unimpeded access to the moon’s surface.
Vitaly Egorov, a prominent Russian space analyst, remarked, “The objective is not solely the study of the moon; it’s a political competition between two superpowers — China and the USA — along with other nations aspiring to be recognized as space superpowers.”
The impact of sanctions imposed on Russia due to its involvement in Ukraine has made it challenging for the country to access Western technology, influencing its space program. The original plan for Luna-25 included carrying a small moon rover. However, analysts state that this idea was abandoned to enhance the craft’s reliability by reducing its weight.
“The weight of foreign electronics is lighter compared to domestic electronics,” explained Egorov. “While scientists might be focused on studying lunar water, Roscosmos’ primary goal is simply to successfully land on the moon — an endeavor that aims to revive the expertise of the Soviet era and adapt it to the present.”
The launch of Luna-25 from the Vostochny Cosmodrome unfolded seamlessly, as confirmed by the video feed from Roscosmos.
The Vostochny spaceport is a personal project of Russian President Vladimir Putin, pivotal to his ambition of elevating Russia’s status as a space superpower and shifting Russian launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
A previous Indian attempt to land at the moon’s southern pole in 2019 ended in failure when the lander crashed upon impact.
The lunar south pole holds special significance for scientists, who speculate that the permanently shadowed polar craters could harbor water. This frozen water has the potential to be converted into breathable air and rocket fuel by future explorers.
“The moon remains largely untouched, and its entire history is inscribed on its surface,” noted Ed Bloomer, an astronomer at Britain’s Royal Observatory, Greenwich. “It’s pristine and unlike anything found on Earth. It serves as its own laboratory.”
The Luna-25 mission is tasked with collecting samples of moon rock and dust. These samples are critical for understanding the lunar environment prior to any efforts to establish a base. Bloomer emphasized the importance of this, stating, “Otherwise, we might build structures only to shut them down six months later due to the abrasive effects of lunar dust.”
