Mission Summary
Luna 25 was Russia’s first mission to the Moon in 47 years, an attempt to revive the Soviet-era Luna program and make the first landing near the lunar south pole. Launched August 10, 2023, it carried the hopes of reestablishing Russia as a power in lunar exploration after the long gap since Luna 24 in 1976.
The spacecraft reached lunar orbit as planned and prepared to lower itself toward a landing. On August 19, 2023, during the engine burn meant to shift it into a pre-landing orbit, the maneuver failed to stop as intended, and Luna 25 crashed into the inner rim of the Pontécoulant G crater, about 400 kilometers from its target.
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter later photographed a fresh crater near the estimated impact point, almost certainly the mark left by the lander. The failure was a sharp setback for Russia’s lunar ambitions, ending a mission that had aimed to reach the south pole just days before India’s Chandrayaan-3.
Sources and notes can be found on the Sources page.
