Unofficial sources have revealed detailed information about the Luna-25 (Luna-Glob) spacecraft's recent maneuvers and operations. On August 16, 2023, the spacecraft was anticipated to enter its initial lunar orbit at noon Moscow Time (5 a.m. EDT).
An unofficial post on the Novosti Kosmonavtiki web forum, published shortly after the expected event, indicated that the spacecraft's engine fired as planned and maintained the correct attitude during the maneuver, according to available telemetry.
Around two hours later, Roskosmos officially confirmed that two engine firings, commencing at 11:57 Moscow Time (4:57 a.m. EDT), had effectively placed Luna-25 into lunar orbit by 12:03 Moscow Time (5:03 a.m. EDT). The initial firing, utilizing the KTD engine, lasted 243 seconds, while the second employed soft landing engines and persisted for 76 seconds. The space agency assured that all onboard systems were operating normally.
Reportedly, Luna-25 assumed an orbit around the Moon with dimensions of 91.4 by 112.6 kilometers, inclined at 82.087 degrees relative to the lunar Equator, and an ascending longitude of 270.53 degrees. The spacecraft's mass following the lunar orbit insertion was cited as 1,237 kilograms.
Just one day later, on August 17, the Space Research Institute (IKI) unveiled the first image of the lunar surface captured by Luna-Glob's STS-L TV system. Instruments aboard the spacecraft, including ADRON-LR, PmL, and ARIES-L, conducted various observations, such as measuring gamma-ray and neutron emissions from the lunar surface and assessing the lunar exosphere's composition.
Continuing with the mission timeline, an orbital correction was planned for August 18, with another maneuver set to shape the landing orbit on August 19. Roskosmos confirmed the 40-second orbit correction on August 18, which took place at 09:20 Moscow Time (2:20 a.m. EDT). However, no specific details about the mission's progression were disclosed.
The subsequent day, August 19, Roskosmos reported that an orbital maneuver to transition the spacecraft to a "pre-landing orbit" had begun at 14:10 Moscow Time (7:10 a.m. EDT). Unfortunately, an unexpected onboard emergency impeded the maneuver's execution according to the intended parameters. Roskosmos disclosed that their management team was actively assessing the situation.
Shortly after the initial official announcement of an issue aboard Luna-Glob, an unofficial Telegram channel named Zakryty Kosmos reported that the spacecraft had lost communication with ground control during the orbit correction phase. However, Roskosmos was persistently working to reestablish contact with the spacecraft.
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