NASA He said On Friday, photos were taken of the potential crash site of Russia’s first post-Soviet lunar lander.
Luna-25 probe Criticize To the lunar surface on August 19 during pre-landing maneuvers, according to the Russian space agency Roscosmos.
NASA said its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) photographed the crater that occurred at the moon’s south pole, where Roscosmos believes Luna 25 crashed.
Close-range images of the same spot dated June 27 and August 24 showed a distinct crater forming on the surface of the moon.
“Because this new crater is close to the estimated Luna 25 impact point, the LRO team concluded that it was likely from that mission, rather than a natural impact,” NASA said.
The Luna-25 mission was intended to signal Moscow’s return to independent lunar exploration in the face of financial problems, corruption scandals and growing isolation from the West.
It last landed a probe on the Moon in 1976, before it turned away from lunar exploration in favor of missions to Venus and building the Mir space station.
The Luna 25 launch has been postponed several times in the past five years due to sanctions imposed over Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
Days after the accident, India became First nation To successfully land a spacecraft on the south pole of the moon.
The Kremlin and Roskosmos have pledged to do so Complete Continuing the moon race despite the demise of Luna-25.
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