In an exciting step toward space exploration, Russia has completed meticulous preparations for the imminent launch of the Luna-25 probe, destined to land on the enigmatic south pole of our terrestrial satellite.
The advanced automated station has been placed on the launch pad at the Vostochni cosmodrome, located in the Russian Far East, where it is scheduled to take off at 23:10 GMT.
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Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, the probe will be propelled to its destination aboard the Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket and powered by the Fregat block. The spacecraft is estimated to reach lunar orbit within 4 to 5 days, marking a milestone in the history of space exploration.
Luna-25 emerges as the successor to the historic Soviet probe, Luna-24, which in August 1976 became the third spacecraft to collect samples from the lunar surface.
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However, this ambitious mission was not without its challenges and setbacks. Since 2019, various delays have affected its development, to which was added the decision of the European Space Agency to suspend its collaboration with the Russian space program due to the conflict in Ukraine.
Once in lunar orbit, the ship will have to carry out delicate maneuvers for several days to achieve a safe landing in the vicinity of the Boguslawski crater. This site features rugged terrain and extremely adverse conditions, according to reports from the Russian space agency, Roscosmos.
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It is expected that the probe touches down on the lunar surface around August 21an achievement that would give it the merit of being the first to do so, two days before the Indian probe Chandrayaan-2, launched on July 14.
The mission is driven by a series of scientific and technological objectives. In addition to developing lunar landing technology, the probe has the purpose of collecting samples from the lunar surface and studying the upper layer of regolith, analyzing its composition, solidity and relief.
Russia hopes to become the leading space power by landing on the moon’s south pole and, in turn, pioneering the detection of water in the form of ice in lunar craters. To achieve this goal, the probe will be equipped with a range of advanced instruments, including the LAZMA mass spectrometer for chemical analysis, the ARIES neutral and charged particle detector, the PML lunar dust detector, and the LIS infrared spectrometer.
In a memorable announcement made on April 12, coinciding with the 62nd anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s flight, Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed the urgency of resuming the lunar program. This program aims to not only explore the Moon, but also use it as a base of operations to investigate the vast solar system around us.
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*This content was made with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on information from EFE, and was reviewed by the journalist and an editor.
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