Russia’s Luna-25 lunar mission, which launched on August 11, 2023, ended in failure when the lander collided with the Moon’s surface on August 20. The mission aimed to mark the start of a new Russian lunar project and was the country’s first lunar mission in almost 50 years. The lander was successfully placed in the Moon’s orbit on August 16 but failed to make a successful landing on the lunar surface. This setback highlights the challenges and complexities of lunar exploration. Meanwhile, countries like China and the US are advancing their lunar exploration efforts with plans for crewed missions and lunar bases.
The Moon race heats up with the crash landing of Russia’s Luna-25 mission.
![](https://affairsace-media.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/2023/08/21090102/Luna-25-4-860x484.jpg)