You don't mess with the Radar Men From The Moon. You just don't.
Posted on 08/21/2023 11:02:44 AM PDT by Red Badger
MOSCOW — Russia’s Luna-25 spacecraft crashed into the moon after it spun into an uncontrolled orbit, the country’s Roscosmos space agency said Sunday.
The pilotless spacecraft was aiming to be the first ever to land on the south pole of the moon, an area where scientists believe there could be important reserves of frozen water and precious elements. It had been expected to land Monday.
However, Roscosmos said it lost contact with the Luna-25 on Saturday after the spacecraft ran into difficulties and reported an “abnormal situation ”.
“The apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the moon,” read a statement from the agency.
The Luna-25 was in a race with an Indian spacecraft launched on July 14 to be the first to reach the south pole. Both were expected to reach the moon between Aug. 21 and 23.
Vitaly Egorov, a popular Russian space analyst, said despite the crash the mission had some successes.
“Luna 25 showed important progress. It flew toward the Moon, carried out orbit correction, and tested onboard electronics and scientific tools,” he said via videocall. “It even managed to collect some small scientific data during the flight and from the lunar orbit. It also sent photos of the Moon. Russian cosmonautics was not at this level before. But then, an error occurred somehow.”
The lunar mission was Russia’s first since 1976, when it was part of the Soviet Union. Only three governments have managed successful moon landings: the Soviet Union, the United States and China.
The lunar south pole is of particular interest to scientists, who believe the permanently shadowed polar craters may contain frozen water in the rocks that future explorers could transform into air and rocket fuel.
A previous Indian attempt to land at the south pole in 2019 ended when the spacecraft crashed into the moon’s surface.
Roscosmos said it wanted 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.”
Egorov said Roscosmos needs the experience of landing on the Moon.
“It will not be able to talk with China on equal terms, because China has already three successful landings on the moon, while Roscosmos has none,” he said. “Roscosmos will lag starkly behind the Chinese lunar program.”
Sanctions imposed on Russia since it began its actions in Ukraine have affected its space program, making it more difficult to access Western technology.
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 said.
The craft launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s Far East on Aug. 10. The spaceport is a pet project of Russian President Vladimir Putin and key to his efforts to make Russia a space superpower.
Putin’s hostility to the Homintern must be getting on your nerves.
I remember my mother at the time thinking they had faked it.
Who?
It crashed so hard that it splashed raw egg all over Putin’s face.
The Soviets were the first to photograph the far side of the moon, which allowed them to name the most prominent features.
—
But continuing the tradition, they never landed on the moon.
Figure it out.
There go Putin’s plans for denazifying the Moon once and for all. Guess they’ll just have just fire some missiles at it while our Russia-luvin’ FReepers claim the Moon was asking for it by being a globohomo, corrupt celestial body.
Well, I guess ya' might be on to something. Remember those cartoons where the Moon would give the viewer a little wink? Now we know!!! (/s)
Well, they did, but...
You don't mess with the Radar Men From The Moon. You just don't.
How did the monkey we sent through the Belts first fare?
I’m sorry, that’s the wrong answer. I don’t work for you.
But we have the home version of our game and some lovely parting gifts for you backstage.
Thank you for playing Love the Communist.
Missed it by that much!
You tell me.
It’s amusing somewhat around here. All these expensive developments have a pond or lake (to catch the runoff, I suppose). Major attraction for the Canada geese. So the homeowners are constantly having their yards and patios covered with the “presents” from the geese. God help you, if you kill one of them, tho. They must be a “protected” species (feces?).
Whatever attracts them is a food source and the obvious result. When I was a child they apparently always migrated south in the winter but they’ve somehow learned that food is available here in the city area and they stay year round and no longer migrate like they used to. The other day I saw a flock of them waddling across a part of an exit to a mall onto the main road and they were holding up some cars while going from one grassy area to another. Fortunately I was on the other side of the road so they weren’t blocking me. Even so just waddling they seemed entitled and looked like they owned the road they were crossing.
Lately a flock has camped out on the soccer fields and play ground by our Catholic Church. Hate to be a kid playing on that ground.
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