Russia’s Luna-25 moon lander crashed into the lunar surface ahead of a planned touchdown slated for August 21, after failing to deploy its landing legs. The lander was carrying scientific instruments that were designed to study the lunar surface and search for water ice.
The crash occurred shortly after Luna-25 entered lunar orbit. The lander was supposed to land in the Oceanus Procellarum, a vast lunar mare. However, the lander’s computer system malfunctioned, and it was unable to deploy its landing legs. As a result, the lander crashed into the lunar surface at a speed of about 2 kilometres per second.
The crash was a major setback for Russia’s lunar program. Luna-25 was the first of a series of planned missions to the moon. The next mission, Luna-26, is scheduled to launch in 2024.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation. However, Russian officials have said that the most likely cause was a software error.
