The Russian Institute of Space Research (IKI) of the Russian Academy of Sciences has published on its website the first images from the Luna-25 automatic station, which is making a flight to the Earth’s natural satellite. This is a historic moment for Russian cosmonautics, as the images show elements of the vehicle’s structure against the background of the Moon and the Earth. The third image even shows the mission emblem and the bucket of the onboard manipulator.
The Luna-25 mission launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in early August and has already made two trajectory corrections. It should enter lunar orbit on August 16, and on the 21st is expected to land on the surface of the Moon. The main task of the station will be to work out the technology of soft landing. The mission may become the first spacecraft to land at the South Pole of the Earth’s natural satellite.
Exploration of the Moon
The craft carries several cameras that will capture a timelapse of the landing, an HDR panorama of Earth’s natural satellite and settling dust to study it. “Luna-25” will conduct pre-programmed surveys and will also take photos of the Moon on command from Earth.
The mission will also study the internal structure and exploration of natural resources, including water, as well as investigate the effects of cosmic rays and electromagnetic radiation on the Moon’s surface. According to IKI, the ADRON-LR nuclear physics instrument measured the radiation background on the spacecraft, much of which is due to galactic cosmic rays. “These rays fill the entire interplanetary space, under their influence our instruments and future expeditions of cosmonauts will have to work on the Moon. Therefore, it was extremely necessary to find out the radiation background on board the spacecraft in advance, while still on the flight,” the Institute explained.
Interesting facts about the Moon
– The Moon is the only natural satellite of the Earth.
– The Moon has no atmosphere and magnetic field.
– The temperature on the Moon can reach +127 degrees during the day and drop to -173 degrees at night.
– A flight to the Moon takes about three days.
– There are craters on the Moon that may have formed from meteorite impacts.
– There is no life on the Moon.
The Luna-25 mission is very important for Russia and the world. The study of the Moon can help mankind understand the origin of our planet and the possibility of colonizing other planets. We can learn about the composition of the Moon, its internal structure and history. This can give us answers to many questions about the origin of our planet and life on it.
