Is Luna 25 alive?

[George K]

https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/08/russia-seems-to-have-lost-contact-with-its-first-lunar-probe-in-half-a-century/

In a terse update posted on the social media network Telegram Saturday, the Russian space corporation Roscosmos said that an "emergency situation" had occurred on board its Luna 25 spacecraft.

The 1.2-ton lunar lander entered orbit around the Moon three days ago, and since that time Russian engineers have been sending commands for small engine burns to correct the spacecraft's orbit. Roscosmos sent another of these commands on Saturday to put Luna 25 into a "pre-landing orbit," ahead of a landing that had been due to occur as soon as Monday.

However, during the maneuver at 14:10 Moscow time (11:10 UTC) on Saturday a problem occurred, which did not allow the operation to be carried out successfully. "The management team is currently analyzing the situation," concluded the short statement from Roscosmos.

Since that time rumors have been running rampant on Russian social media channels, with the presumption that the spacecraft has probably been lost. Russian space reporter Anatoly Zak said it seems possible that Roscosmos has lost communication with Luna 25, but will continue its efforts to try to contact the spacecraft.

[Renauda]

They should check if there were any Ukrainian drones in the vicinity around the time contact was lost.

[Mik]

@Renauda

[taiwan_girl]

I actually did not realize that India also had a spaceship approaching a landing on the moon.

https://www.space.com/chandrayaan-3-vs-luna-25-lunar-pole-showdown

[Axtremus]

May be the will blame Ukrainian computer virus or cyberattack.

[bachophile]

Well it’s the titan submersible all over again. Minus the passengers of course

[jon-nyc]

Best comment on Twitter:

If the sky is clear tonight and you have a good telescope, you may be able to make out a Ukrainian farmer towing the wreckage away

[Darth Putin]

[Mik]

Luna isn't. Neither is its creator. 'Indedible mushrooms". Putin's going to run out of Russians.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/putin-poisoning-top-russian-rocket-scientist-suspiciously-dies-weeks-after-failed-moon-landing/ar-AA1g2UtY?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=3afb4c0d12d74cf496aa9436bed68c29&ei=15

[Copper]

What a great inspiration for rocket scientists who want to live.

[Renauda]

@Mik said in Is Luna 25 alive?:

Luna isn't. Neither is its creator. 'Indedible mushrooms". Putin's going to run out of Russians.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/putin-poisoning-top-russian-rocket-scientist-suspiciously-dies-weeks-after-failed-moon-landing/ar-AA1g2UtY?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=3afb4c0d12d74cf496aa9436bed68c29&ei=15

Wild mushroom gathering is a national pastime in Russia. People learn from childhood what can be eaten and what cannot. Rule of thumb is always if you aren’t sure, don’t eat it.

Suspicious.

[Mik]

It is here too. And everyone is very certain before they eat any.

[taiwan_girl]

I could not access the linked article, but one I read said that "He was admitted to the hospital on Aug. 11, the same day a Soyuz rocket carrying the Luna 25 robotic spacecraft launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East."

Maybe this was just an accident?

[Renauda]

@taiwan_girl

Maybe suicide when he reviewed the math and realised that he had failed to convert to metric.

Since my earlier post I have since learned that the deceased was considered something of a nutter inside Russia.

Not that that means much of anything under the present circumstances in that country.

[George K]

@Renauda said in Is Luna 25 alive?:

the deceased was considered something of a nutter inside Russia.

Not that that means much of anything under the present circumstances in that country.

So he would have fit right in, right?

[Renauda]

One would think so.

[George K]

[Mik]

@Renauda said in Is Luna 25 alive?:

One would think so.

One can be forgiven, I think, for suspecting foul play.