Russian space agency says spacecraft has crashed into the moon

The Russian area company says its Luna-25 spacecraft has crashed into the moon.

Russia’s unmanned robotic lander crashed after it had spun into uncontrolled orbit, the nation’s area company Roscosmos reported.

The launch earlier this month was Russia’s first since 1976 when it was a part of the Soviet Union.

In this image made from video released by Roscosmos State Space Corporation, the Soyuz-2.1b rocket with the moon lander Luna-25 automatic station takes off from a launch pad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. Roscosmos, said Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, that the spacecraft ran into trouble while trying to enter a pre-landing orbit around the moon. — In this picture constructed from video launched by Roscosmos State Space Corporation, the Soyuz-2.1b rocket with the moon lander Luna-25 automated station takes off from a launch pad on the Vostochny Cosmodrome within the Russian Far East on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. Roscosmos, mentioned Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, that the spacecraft bumped into bother whereas attempting to enter a pre-landing orbit across the moon. (Roscosmos State Space Corporation by way of AP, File)

The crash comes after Roscosmos reported an “abnormal situation” that its specialists have been analysing on Saturday.

“During the operation, an abnormal situation occurred on board the automatic station, which did not allow the manoeuvre to be performed with the specified parameters,” Roscosmos mentioned in a Telegram put up.

The spacecraft was scheduled to land on the south pole of the moon on Monday, racing to land on Earth’s satellite tv for pc forward of an Indian spacecraft.