SPACE RACE 2.0
A rocket with a lunar landing craft blasts off on Russia’s first moon mission in nearly 50 years
The Canadian Press
Thu, August 10, 2023
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A rocket carrying a lunar landing craft blasted off Friday on Russia’s first moon mission in nearly 50 years, racing to land on Earth’s satellite ahead of an Indian spacecraft.
The launch from Russia’s Vostochny spaceport in the Far East 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 flawlessly 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.
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Burrows reported from London. Associated Press writer Marcia Dunn in Cape Canaveral, Florida contributed to this story.
Jim Heintz And Emma Burrows, The Associated Press
The Canadian Press
Thu, August 10, 2023
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A rocket carrying a lunar landing craft blasted off Friday on Russia’s first moon mission in nearly 50 years, racing to land on Earth’s satellite ahead of an Indian spacecraft.
The launch from Russia’s Vostochny spaceport in the Far East 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 flawlessly 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.
___
Burrows reported from London. Associated Press writer Marcia Dunn in Cape Canaveral, Florida contributed to this story.
Jim Heintz And Emma Burrows, The Associated Press
Russia Elbows Into the New Moon Race With Upcoming Luna-25 Launch
Passant Rabie
Gizmodo
Tue, August 8, 2023
the Soyuz-2.1b rocket with the moon lander Luna 25 automatic station is set at a launch pad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023.
The Luna 25 lunar lander on board a Soyuz-2.1b rocket at a launch pad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in August 8, 2023.
Russia is getting ready to launch its first mission to the Moon in nearly fifty years in an attempt to stay relevant amidst a renewed space race.
The Luna-25 lander has been loaded on board a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket, awaiting its launch on Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Moscow, according to Russian state news outlet TASS. The lunar lander is targeting the Moon’s south polar region, where it will study the composition of the polar regolith, and the plasma and dust components of the lunar polar exosphere.
Russia hasn’t launched a mission to the Moon since Luna-24 returned to Earth carrying samples of lunar regolith in August 1976. Luna-25 marks the first sign of Russia’s renewed interest in the Moon, with the country hoping to join forces with China in the new space race to the lunar surface.
The first mission of Russia’s new lunar program has been delayed for nearly two years. Luna-25 was originally planned in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) but Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine led to severed ties between Europe and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos. ESA pulled out of the Luna-25 mission, as well as the subsequent Luna 26 and 27, and Russia was forced to replace European-made parts on the lander with locally built scientific instruments.
Russia’s long awaited return to the lunar surface comes not only at a time when Roscosmos is largely on the outs with major players in the space industry, but also as Russia tries to cement its partnership with China on building a base on the Moon. China is advancing its lunar program with aims to rival NASA’s Artemis program, including plans for a permanent base on the Moon’s surface. The International Lunar Research Station moon base was announced as a joint project between China and Russia in 2021, and other countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan later joined in on the project.
The Luna-25 mission explained
Following its launch, Luna-25 is expected to reach lunar orbit in five days and attempt a landing at one of three designated sites within the subsequent five to seven days, Reuters reports. India is also in the midst of its own lunar landing attempt with the launch of its Chandrayaan-3 mission, scheduled for touchdown on the Moon’s surface on August 23.
Landing on the Moon is no easy feat, as evidenced by Japan’s recent attempt to touchdown on the lunar surface with the privately owned Hakuto-R M1 lander. The Soviet Union, China, and the U.S. are the only three countries to have accomplished a soft landing on the surface of the Moon. Previous lunar landings, however, have mostly taken place near the Moon’s equator.
Should it stick the landing near the south pole, Luna-25 has a four-legged base and is expected to operate on the lunar surface for one year. The main purpose of the mission is to help develop technologies for landing on the Moon, as well as sampling lunar soil.
Ahead of the launch of Luna-25, Russia ordered the evacuation of a village in the far eastern region of the country due to a “one in a million chance” that rocket debris could hit that area, Reuters reported, adding that residents of Shakhtinsky will leave their homes for a period of around three hours, during which they will be taken to watch the launch and later hang back to avoid being crushed by pieces of the rocket.
Russia seems pretty confident in its attempt to land on the Moon, a renewed interest in a celestial surface it hasn’t touched in a very long time
Tue, August 8, 2023
the Soyuz-2.1b rocket with the moon lander Luna 25 automatic station is set at a launch pad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023.
The Luna 25 lunar lander on board a Soyuz-2.1b rocket at a launch pad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in August 8, 2023.
Russia is getting ready to launch its first mission to the Moon in nearly fifty years in an attempt to stay relevant amidst a renewed space race.
The Luna-25 lander has been loaded on board a Soyuz-2.1b carrier rocket, awaiting its launch on Friday at 7:00 p.m. ET from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Moscow, according to Russian state news outlet TASS. The lunar lander is targeting the Moon’s south polar region, where it will study the composition of the polar regolith, and the plasma and dust components of the lunar polar exosphere.
Russia hasn’t launched a mission to the Moon since Luna-24 returned to Earth carrying samples of lunar regolith in August 1976. Luna-25 marks the first sign of Russia’s renewed interest in the Moon, with the country hoping to join forces with China in the new space race to the lunar surface.
The first mission of Russia’s new lunar program has been delayed for nearly two years. Luna-25 was originally planned in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) but Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine led to severed ties between Europe and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos. ESA pulled out of the Luna-25 mission, as well as the subsequent Luna 26 and 27, and Russia was forced to replace European-made parts on the lander with locally built scientific instruments.
Russia’s long awaited return to the lunar surface comes not only at a time when Roscosmos is largely on the outs with major players in the space industry, but also as Russia tries to cement its partnership with China on building a base on the Moon. China is advancing its lunar program with aims to rival NASA’s Artemis program, including plans for a permanent base on the Moon’s surface. The International Lunar Research Station moon base was announced as a joint project between China and Russia in 2021, and other countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan later joined in on the project.
The Luna-25 mission explained
Following its launch, Luna-25 is expected to reach lunar orbit in five days and attempt a landing at one of three designated sites within the subsequent five to seven days, Reuters reports. India is also in the midst of its own lunar landing attempt with the launch of its Chandrayaan-3 mission, scheduled for touchdown on the Moon’s surface on August 23.
Landing on the Moon is no easy feat, as evidenced by Japan’s recent attempt to touchdown on the lunar surface with the privately owned Hakuto-R M1 lander. The Soviet Union, China, and the U.S. are the only three countries to have accomplished a soft landing on the surface of the Moon. Previous lunar landings, however, have mostly taken place near the Moon’s equator.
Should it stick the landing near the south pole, Luna-25 has a four-legged base and is expected to operate on the lunar surface for one year. The main purpose of the mission is to help develop technologies for landing on the Moon, as well as sampling lunar soil.
Ahead of the launch of Luna-25, Russia ordered the evacuation of a village in the far eastern region of the country due to a “one in a million chance” that rocket debris could hit that area, Reuters reported, adding that residents of Shakhtinsky will leave their homes for a period of around three hours, during which they will be taken to watch the launch and later hang back to avoid being crushed by pieces of the rocket.
Russia seems pretty confident in its attempt to land on the Moon, a renewed interest in a celestial surface it hasn’t touched in a very long time
See stunning new photos and videos of the moon as India's Chandrayaan-3 rover enters lunar orbit
Andrew Jones
Tue, August 8, 2023
India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft snapped this photo while entering orbit around the moon on Aug. 5, 2023.
India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander has returned its first images from the moon after entering orbit around our nearest neighbor.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released the images on Sunday (Aug. 6), showing that the spacecraft had reached its destination ahead of a lunar landing attempt expected on Aug. 23.
Chandrayaan-3 launched on July 14, heading into an initial highly elliptical Earth orbit. It then gradually raised its orbit before making a burn on July 31 that set it on course for the moon. The spacecraft successfully entered orbit around our natural satellite on Saturday (Aug. 5), according to ISRO.
Related: Days before dying, Japan's lunar lander snaps glorious photo of Earth during a total solar eclipse
The spacecraft will conduct further engine burns to bring it into a circular track about 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the surface of the moon a week ahead of the expected landing attempt.
RELATED STORIES
—Scientists discover huge, heat-emitting blob on the far side of the moon
— What is the 'man on the moon' and how did it form?
—How did the moon form? A supercomputer may have just found the answer
The newly released images, which ISRO stitched into a 45-second video, show the solar arrays of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft in the foreground. The moon, with features including large impact craters and lunar mare, or seas, is in the background.
The 6-billion-rupee (roughly $73 million) Chandrayaan-3 mission aims to make a precise landing in the vicinity of the moon's south pole. If it's successful, India will join the United States, the former Soviet Union and China as the only nations to perform a soft lunar landing.
The mission's lander, known as Vikram, also carries a small rover called Pragyan. The pair will spend the best part of a lunar day (about 14 Earth days) conducting surface operations and experiments before succumbing to the deep cold of the lunar nighttime.
Originally posted on Space.com
Andrew Jones
Tue, August 8, 2023
India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft snapped this photo while entering orbit around the moon on Aug. 5, 2023.
India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander has returned its first images from the moon after entering orbit around our nearest neighbor.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) released the images on Sunday (Aug. 6), showing that the spacecraft had reached its destination ahead of a lunar landing attempt expected on Aug. 23.
Chandrayaan-3 launched on July 14, heading into an initial highly elliptical Earth orbit. It then gradually raised its orbit before making a burn on July 31 that set it on course for the moon. The spacecraft successfully entered orbit around our natural satellite on Saturday (Aug. 5), according to ISRO.
Related: Days before dying, Japan's lunar lander snaps glorious photo of Earth during a total solar eclipse
The spacecraft will conduct further engine burns to bring it into a circular track about 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the surface of the moon a week ahead of the expected landing attempt.
RELATED STORIES
—Scientists discover huge, heat-emitting blob on the far side of the moon
— What is the 'man on the moon' and how did it form?
—How did the moon form? A supercomputer may have just found the answer
The newly released images, which ISRO stitched into a 45-second video, show the solar arrays of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft in the foreground. The moon, with features including large impact craters and lunar mare, or seas, is in the background.
The 6-billion-rupee (roughly $73 million) Chandrayaan-3 mission aims to make a precise landing in the vicinity of the moon's south pole. If it's successful, India will join the United States, the former Soviet Union and China as the only nations to perform a soft lunar landing.
The mission's lander, known as Vikram, also carries a small rover called Pragyan. The pair will spend the best part of a lunar day (about 14 Earth days) conducting surface operations and experiments before succumbing to the deep cold of the lunar nighttime.
Originally posted on Space.com
AFP
Tue, August 8, 2023
Officials and media personnel are seen inside the Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida (CHANDAN KHANNA)
NASA's Artemis 3 mission, set to return humans to the Moon in 2025, might not involve a crewed landing after all, an official said Tuesday.
Jim Free, the space agency's associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, told reporters in a briefing that certain key elements would have to be in place -- notably the landing system that is being developed by SpaceX.
Should that not be ready on time, "We may end up flying a different mission," he said.
Under the Artemis program, NASA is planning a series of missions of escalating complexity to return to the Moon and build a sustained presence in order to develop and test technologies for an eventual journey to Mars.
The first, Artemis 1, flew an uncrewed spacecraft around the Moon in 2022. Artemis 2, planned for November 2024, will do the same with crew on board.
But it is during the Artemis 3 mission planned for December 2025 that NASA has planned its grand return to the Moon with humans for the first time since 1972, this time on the lunar south pole, where the ice can be harvested and turned into rocket fuel.
Elon Musk's SpaceX has won the contract for a landing system based on a version of its prototype Starship rocket, which remains far from ready. An orbital test flight of Starship ended in a dramatic explosion in April.
Free said NASA officials had visited SpaceX's Starbase facility in Texas a few weeks ago to "learn where they are with the hardware, trying to understand their schedule some more."
Though he found the visit insightful, he said he remained concerned "because they haven't launched," and will need to do so multiple times before the rocket will be ready.
What's more, delays to Starship have knock-on effects because the spacesuit contractor needs to know how the suits will interface with the spacecraft, and simulators need to be built for astronauts to learn its systems.
He added that NASA will update the public in the near future once it has had time to "digest" the information gathered during the Starbase visit.
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