The LRO spaceship (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) of POTtook Images of a new crater in the lunar surface This is likely the impact site of the Russian Luna 25 mission. During its descent, the mission experienced an anomaly that caused it to impact hit the lunar surface August 19th. roscosmosthe Russian Space Agency, published a Point of Impact Estimation On August 21st.
The LROC team (short for LRO Camera) and the LRO Mission Operations team were able to design and pilot the LRO spacecraft on August 22nd Capture site imagesreports NASA.
Series began on August 24 at 6:15 p.m UTC and completed about four hours later, at 22.12 UTC. The LROC team compared images taken before the moment of impact and recorded the sequence after that and found a small new crater.
The most recent “before” image of the area taken by LRO was recorded in June 2022; Therefore, the crater formed some time after this date. Since this new crater is close to Luna 25’s estimated impact point, the LRO team concludes that it is likely came from this missioninstead of a natural effect.
The new crater is approximately 10 meters in diameter and is located at 57.865 degrees S and 61.360 degrees E at an elevation of approximately -360 meters. The point of impact occurred on the steep inner rim (more than 20 degrees) of the crater Pontécoulant G, approximately 400 kilometers from the planned landing point of Luna 25, at latitudes 69.545 degrees south and latitude 43.544 degrees east.