NASA’s Lunar Orbiter Detects New Crater Likely Resulting from Russia’s Luna 25 Mission Failure

The image sequence alternates between views captured by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) on June 27, 2020, and August 24, 2023, highlighting the emergence of a recently formed impact crater possibly related to Russia’s Luna 25 mission. Image courtesy: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Arizona State University

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) operated by NASA has captured images of a freshly formed crater on the Moon, presumed to be the impact site following a trajectory error in Russia’s Luna 25 mission.

During its approach to the Moon, Luna 25 encountered an unexpected issue, resulting in its collision with the lunar surface on August 19.

Upon descent, Luna 25 faced an irregularity that led it to crash into the southwest edge of Pontécoulant G crater on August 19, 2023, at 7:58 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (11:58 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time). The corresponding image spans 1,100 meters, with the lunar north oriented upwards. Image Source: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Arizona State University.

Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, released an approximation of the impact location on August 21. Both the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) team and the LRO Mission Operations group formulated and transmitted commands to the LRO spacecraft on August 22 to capture imagery of the area. The imaging sequence commenced on August 24 at 2:15 p.m. EDT (18:15 UTC) and concluded around four hours later, at 6:12 p.m. EDT (22:12 UTC). A comparative analysis of images before and after the event revealed a new, smaller crater.

An enlarged image from LROC reveals the presumed Luna 25 impact site. The image width measures 275 meters, with the lunar north oriented upwards.

The latest prior image of the site, taken by LRO in June 2022, indicates that the crater emerged after that time. Given its proximity to the estimated Luna 25 impact point, it is likely associated with that mission rather than a naturally occurring event.

The newly formed crater measures approximately 10 meters in diameter and is situated at 57.865 degrees south latitude and 61.360 degrees east longitude, at an elevation of roughly minus 360 meters. The impact occurred on the steep inner edge of Pontécoulant G crater, falling around 400 kilometers short of Luna 25’s intended landing coordinates at 69.545 degrees south, 43.544 degrees east.

Luna 25, also known as Luna-Glob-Lander, is a Russian lunar landing mission that was launched on August 10, 2023, targeting the Moon’s south polar region. The mission had two primary scientific objectives: to analyze the composition of polar regolith and to study the plasma and dust components of the lunar polar exosphere. Communication was lost on August 19, resulting in the lander’s crash on the Moon’s surface.

The mission was initiated from Vostochny Cosmodrome on August 10, 2023, at 23:10 Coordinated Universal Time using a Soyuz-2 Fregat rocket. It transitioned into a lunar transfer orbit after a subsequent firing of the Fregat upper stage. The spacecraft reached the Moon on August 16 and performed engine burns to enter lunar orbit. Another engine burn was initiated on August 19 for the pre-landing orbit, but communication was lost at 11:57 UTC, leading to its crash. The presumed crash site is located at 57.865 degrees south latitude and 61.360 degrees east longitude inside Pontécoulant G crater.

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, an unmanned spacecraft that circles the Moon, was launched on June 18, 2009. Its main mission is to produce high-resolution maps of the Moon and furnish comprehensive data sets that can assist in planning future lunar expeditions. Key aspects of the LRO include:

1. Mapping and Surface Analysis: The LRO has been instrumental in creating the most exhaustive lunar surface maps to date. It has identified suitable landing zones, pinpointed possible lunar resources, and analyzed the Moon’s radiation environment.

2. Instrumentation: The LRO hosts a variety of instruments designed for specific purposes, such as the LROC for high-definition imaging, the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter for topographical mapping, among others.

3. Presence of Lunar Water and Ice: One of the LRO’s significant discoveries includes data that suggests the existence of water ice at the Moon’s poles, particularly in areas that are permanently shadowed.

4. Mission Continuity: Initially planned for a one-year mission, the success of the LRO led to several mission extensions, allowing it to continue delivering invaluable data for over a decade.

5. Support for Future Missions: LRO data has been pivotal in planning future crewed and robotic lunar missions, including NASA’s Artemis program that aims to bring humans back to the Moon.

In conclusion, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been vital in advancing our comprehension of the Moon and is an indispensable tool for the preparation of future lunar missions.