Current:Home > MarketsRussia launches lunar landing craft in first moon mission since Soviet era-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Russia launches lunar landing craft in first moon mission since Soviet era
View Date:2024-12-23 17:10:11
Russia's space agency said on Friday that all systems of lunar landing space craft that blasted off Friday were working normally hours after it detached from a booster module. All communications with the spacecraft are stable, Reuters reported, citing a statement from Russia's space agency.
The rocket launch is Russia's first moon mission in nearly 50 years, as the spacecraft races to land on Earth's satellite ahead of an Indian spacecraft. The launch from Russia's Vostochny spaceport of the Luna-25 craft to the moon is Russia's first since 1976 when it was part of the Soviet Union.
The Russian lunar lander is expected to reach the moon on Aug. 23, about the same day as an Indian craft which was launched on July 14. The Russian spacecraft will take about 5.5 days to travel to the moon's vicinity, then spend three to seven days orbiting at about 100 kilometers (62 miles) before heading for the surface.
Only three governments have managed successful moon landings: the Soviet Union, the United States and China. India and Russia are aiming to be the first to land at the moon's south pole.
Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, said it wants to show Russia "is a state capable of delivering a payload to the moon," and "ensure Russia's guaranteed access to the moon's surface."
"Study of the moon is not the goal," said Vitaly Egorov, a popular Russian space analyst. "The goal is political competition between two superpowers —China and the USA— and a number of other countries which also want to claim the title of space superpower."
Sanctions imposed on Russia after it invaded Ukraine make it harder for it to access Western technology, impacting its space program. The Luna-25 was initially meant to carry a small moon rover but that idea was abandoned to reduce the weight of the craft for improved reliability, analysts say.
"Foreign electronics are lighter, domestic electronics are heavier," Egorov said. "While scientists might have the task of studying lunar water, for Roscosmos the main task is simply to land on the moon — to recover lost Soviet expertise and learn how to perform this task in a new era."
The Luna-25 launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's Far East, according to video feed from Roscosmos.
The spaceport is a pet project of Russian President Vladimir Putin and is key to his efforts to make Russia a space superpower and move Russian launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
A previous Indian attempt to land at the moon's south pole in 2019 ended when the lander crashed into the moon's surface.
The lunar south pole is of particular interest to scientists, who believe the permanently shadowed polar craters may contain water. The frozen water in the rocks could be transformed by future explorers into air and rocket fuel.
"The moon is largely untouched and the whole history of the moon is written on its face," said Ed Bloomer, an astronomer at Britain's Royal Observatory, Greenwich. "It is pristine and like nothing you get on Earth. It is its own laboratory."
The Luna-25 is to take samples of moon rock and dust. The samples are crucial to understanding the moon's environment ahead of building any base there, "otherwise we could be building things and having to shut them down six months later because everything has effectively been sand-blasted," Bloomer said.
- In:
- Technology
- Russia
- China
- Science
- United Kingdom
veryGood! (87466)
Related
- Mega Millions winning numbers for November 8 drawing: Jackpot rises to $361 million
- Iran memo not among the 31 records underlying charges in Trump federal indictment
- Climate Science Has a Blind Spot When it Comes to Heat Waves in Southern Africa
- What is a Uyghur?: Presidential candidate Francis Suarez botches question about China
- Gossip Girl Actress Chanel Banks Reported Missing After Vanishing in California
- A Drop in Sulfate Emissions During the Coronavirus Lockdown Could Intensify Arctic Heatwaves
- Suniva Solar Tariff Case Could Throttle a Thriving Industry
- Biden’s Appointment of John Kerry as Climate Envoy Sends a ‘Signal to the World,’ Advocates Say
- Stocks soared on news of Trump's election. Bonds sank. Here's why.
- Suniva, Seeking Tariffs on Foreign Solar Panels, Faces Tough Questions from ITC
Ranking
- Florida State can't afford to fire Mike Norvell -- and can't afford to keep him
- Dancing with the Stars Pros Daniella Karagach and Pasha Pashkov Welcome First Baby
- How Amanda Seyfried Is Helping Emmy Rossum With Potty Training After Co-Star Welcomed Baby No. 2
- Get 5 Lipsticks for the Price 1: Clinique Black Honey, Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk, YSL, and More
- Shocked South Carolina woman walks into bathroom only to find python behind toilet
- Is a Conservative Climate Movement Heating Up?
- Jill Duggar Felt Obligated by Her Parents to Do Damage Control Amid Josh Duggar Scandal
- 10 Giant Companies Commit to Electric Vehicles, Sending Auto Industry a Message
Recommendation
-
After entire police force resigns in small Oklahoma town, chief blames leaders, budget cuts
-
Airline passengers are using hacker fares to get cheap tickets
-
Microgrids Keep These Cities Running When the Power Goes Out
-
RHOBH's Kyle Richards Shares Update on Kathy Hilton Feud After Recent Family Reunion
-
US Open finalist Taylor Fritz talks League of Legends, why he hated tennis and how he copied Sampras
-
U.S. House Hacks Away at Renewable Energy, Efficiency Programs
-
As low-nicotine cigarettes hit the market, anti-smoking groups press for wider standard
-
50% Rise in Renewable Energy Needed to Meet Ambitious State Standards