About Russia’s Luna 25 |Ias Banenge

August 16, 2023 IAS BANENGE

Context:

Recently, Russia launched its first moon-landing spacecraft in 47 years in a bid to be the first nation to make a soft landing on the lunar south pole. This mission, called Luna-25, is Russia’s first lunar attempt since 1976 and is in competition with India’s Chandrayaan-3 lunar lander that was launched last month.

Reference:

GS III: Science and Technology

Dimensions of the Article:

Luna-25 Moon Mission
Russia’s Preceding Arrival
Differences Between Luna-25 and Chandrayaan-3 Missions
India and Russia’s Collaboration in Space Activities

Luna-25 Moon Mission

A Luna-25 spacecraft was propelled into space by a Soyuz 2.1v rocket from the Vostochny cosmodrome, situated 5,550 kilometers east of Moscow, initiating the mission on August 11.
The Space chief of Russia has projected that the lander will achieve touchdown on the moon’s surface by August 21.
In contrast, India’s lunar mission is unable to land prior to August 23 due to the timing of lunar dawn at its intended landing site.

Operating Objectives of Luna-25:

Luna-25, resembling the dimensions of a small car, is designed to function effectively on the moon’s south pole for a span of one year.

Russia’s Preceding Arrival:

Russia’s Luna-25 launch came subsequent to Chandrayaan-3’s launch by almost a month (on July 14). Despite this, Luna-25 is projected to cover the extensive 3.84-lakh-km journey in mere days.

Explaining the Speed Difference:

This can be attributed to Luna-25’s ability to adopt a more direct trajectory towards the moon. This advantage stems from its lighter payload and augmented fuel storage capacity.
Luna-25’s launch mass stands at a mere 1,750 kg, a stark contrast to Chandrayaan-3’s 3,900 kg.

Path Adaptation for Chandrayaan-3:

Due to Chandrayaan-3’s reliance on the LVM3 vehicle, which possessed a lower fuel reserve, a longer, more circuitous route was chosen.
This involved a sequence of orbital adjustments after the Earth launch to boost velocity, ultimately propelling the spacecraft towards the moon.
Chandrayaan-3’s arrival in lunar orbit took nearly 22 days following its launch.

Early Arrival Factors for Luna-25:

Luna-25’s earlier landing can also be attributed to the fact that lunar dawn at its designated landing site will transpire earlier.
Given that one lunar day equates to 14 Earth days and the payloads rely on solar panels, landing at the commencement of a lunar day guarantees a full 14 days for experiments.

Differences Between Luna-25 and Chandrayaan-3 Missions

Rover Presence:

Luna-25: Unlike Chandrayaan-3, Luna-25 doesn’t carry a rover for mobility.
Chandrayaan-3: Equipped with a rover capable of covering approximately 500 meters.

Scientific Objectives:

Luna-25: Carries eight payloads to primarily study soil composition, dust particles in the polar exosphere, and crucially, to detect surface water.
Chandrayaan-3: Features scientific instruments for studying lunar soil and water-ice.

Location Choice:

Luna-25: Chosen for its proximity to the southern pole, which harbors craters in permanent shadow, increasing the likelihood of water-ice discovery.
Chandrayaan-3: Also focuses on exploring the lunar south pole region for water-ice presence.

Mission Duration:

Luna-25: Engineered for a mission duration of one year, facilitated by a heating mechanism and an alternate power source beyond solar panels.
Chandrayaan-3: Designed to function for a single lunar day (14 Earth days) due to the absence of a heating mechanism to protect electronics during the lunar night’s extreme cold temperatures.

India and Russia’s Collaboration in Space Activities

Historical Collaboration:

India and Russia have a longstanding history of collaboration in space exploration and activities.

Lander-Rover Collaboration for Chandrayaan-2:

Initially, Russia was engaged to design the lander-rover for India’s Chandrayaan-2 mission.
Russia’s involvement was disrupted due to the failure of its Fobos Grunt mission to Mars’ moon.
This prompted India to independently develop the lander-rover, leading to a gap of 11 years between Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2 missions.

Cryogenic Engine Technology:

The predecessors of the LVM3 rocket, which launched Chandrayaan-3, used cryogenic engines obtained from Russia.
India later progressed to develop this technology indigenously.

Overall Collaboration:

Despite the challenges and transitions, India and Russia’s collaboration has played a role in shaping India’s space capabilities and advancements.
Their history of joint efforts signifies the spirit of international cooperation in space exploration.

Source: Indian Express