Russia’s Luna-25 Lander Settles Into Moon’s Orbit

Russia’s Luna-25 lander has reached lunar orbit, Russia’s Roscosmos State Corp. reported Aug 16.

 The 1,800-kg (4,000-lb.) spacecraft made two thruster burns—243 sec. with its retrograde engine and then 76 sec. with the landing engines to settle itself in the 100-km (62-mi.)-high circular polar orbit of the Earth’s natural satellite.

Roscosmos confirmed that all systems are functioning normally and the spacecraft is in steady communication with Earth. During the five-day flight, Russia’s Space Research Institute adjusted the lander’s STS-L multi-camera system and provided the first images from the flying spacecraft. These cameras will be used to monitor a soft landing and provide panoramic pictures from the Moon’s surface.

Luna-25 is expected to touch down north of Boguslavsky crater near the Moon’s south pole on Aug. 21. The main scientific goal of Russia’s first lunar mission in nearly 50 years is to confirm the existence of water ice deposits in the polar areas. It carries 31 kg of scientific payloads to dig and analyze lunar soil and study the Moon’s exosphere during its yearlong mission.