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Russian Luna-25 spacecraft collides with the moon
According to officials, the Russian Luna-25 spacecraft lost control and fell into the Moon.
The unmanned spacecraft ran into issues when it entered its pre-landing orbit, failing to complete the gentle landing intended for the south pole of the Moon.
It was the country’s first lunar mission in almost 50 years.
The spacecraft was slated to touch down on Monday to investigate a region of the Moon that researchers believe may contain frozen water and valuable components.
The national space company of Russia, Roscosmos, reported on Sunday morning that it had lost touch with the Luna-25 just after 14:57pm (11:57 GMT) on Saturday.
It added in a statement that “the apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the Moon.”
India, whose Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is expected to touch down there next week, has been racing Russia to the south pole of the moon.
Although the US and China have both softly touched down on the Moon’s surface, no nation has ever made it to the south pole.