Russia sent the Luna-25 interplanetary station to the Moon: This is the first such mission in the last 50 years

Russia sent an interplanetary automatic station "Luna-25" to the satellite of our planet. This is the country's first such mission in nearly 50 years. The station will land near the South Pole of the Moon from August 21 to 24 and will search for water in this area and conduct other studies necessary to understand the origin and evolution of the Moon, as well as for the future development of the Earth satellite.

Launch and landing

According to rbc.ru, the launch was carried out from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur Region. The Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle will deliver the Fregat upper stage with the station to a suborbital trajectory, after which the Fregat will transfer to a nearly circular orbit about 200 km high, make about half a turn around the Earth on it and send Luna-25 » on the trajectory of the flight to the Moon. Only 1 hour and 20 minutes will pass from the moment the rocket is launched to the Luna-25 separation.

It is expected that the station will reach a circular near-polar orbit of the Moon with a height of 100 km five days after launch. There she will spend from three to seven days to select the optimal landing site near the South Pole. Next, an elliptical landing orbit will be formed with a minimum altitude of 18 km, and the station will land in the region of the South Pole of the Moon. This will take place between August 21st and 24th. After a successful landing, the station will begin its scientific mission on the lunar surface and work there for a year.

Scientific research

Luna-25 will have to conduct a wide range of research. The station will study the surface of the satellite using various instruments, including cryogenic drilling. The main task here will be to find water. If water can indeed be found, it could be of great importance for future space missions, as water can be used as a raw material for creating rocket fuel, which can significantly reduce the cost and complexity of interplanetary travel.

Scientific instruments aboard Luna-25 will also study dust and micrometeorite conditions, the radiation environment of the polar moon, and other aspects. Particular attention is paid to the study of lunar dust, which may pose a danger to future missions and space technology.

Practical purpose and future

In addition to scientific research, the Luna-25 station will also serve a practical purpose - to develop a soft landing technology near the South Pole of the Moon. This is an important step in creating a base for future missions and exploration of the Earth's satellite.

The launch of Luna 25 was the first part of Russia's ambitious lunar program, which includes several stages. The second stage provides for the development of means of access to the surface of the Moon and the landing of astronauts to create and place the first elements of the future base. At the third stage, it is planned to complete the construction of a full-fledged visited base on the Moon and deploy observatories for further research.

The Luna 25 mission thus opens a new chapter in lunar exploration and preparation for future space exploration. This is an important step for Russia and world science, which, if successful, can bring new discoveries and practical benefits in the long term.

The last lunar mission was launched in 1976. Within its framework, the Luna-24 automatic station delivered 170 grams of lunar soil to Earth. The scientists who studied it suggested that the lunar soil may contain water at a concentration of 0.1% by weight.

India also recently sent a spacecraft to the Moon: Chandrayaan-3 ("Chandrayan-3") entered the lunar orbit on August 5 and has already sent the first pictures of the surface of the Moon. The lander and rover Chandrayaan-3 will reach the surface of our planet's satellite on August 23. If successful, India will become the first country to achieve a controlled soft landing near the Moon's South Pole.