The continuing Luna-25 mission began a new phase on Sunday, according to Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, when the autonomous probe successfully switched on its research and equipment.
“All systems of the automatic station are working normally, the connection with it is stable, and the energy balance is positive,” Roscosmos stated in a statement. The agency confirmed that ground control received telemetry indicating that all systems are operational.
“The first samples of data collected during the flight to the Moon have been received, and the project’s scientific team has begun processing them,” NASA noted.
Luna-25, named after a Soviet-era program, is modern Russia’s first Moon mission. Between 1958 and 1976, a total of 24 Luna probes were launched, hitting numerous significant milestones.
If the new mission is successful, it will land the first man-made item on the Moon’s rough south-polar zone. All past probes have landed in the satellite’s equatorial regions, which are much easier to approach. At the landing site, the probe will collect regolith samples and conduct a number of long-term scientific investigations.
The mission is expected to settle on the Moon on August 21, just two days before India’s next attempt to conquer the polar mountains of the satellite. Chandrayaan-3, New Delhi’s mission, is already operational.
