LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- An unmanned Russian spacecraft has lost control during orbit and crashed into the moon, according to the country’s space agency.
Communication with Luna-25 was lost at 2:57pm (11:57 GMT) on Saturday, Roscosmos said.
The pilotless spacecraft, expected to land Monday, 21 August was aiming to be the first ever to land on the south pole of the moon.
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According to preliminary findings, the lander āhas ceased to exist following a collision with the moonās surfaceā, Roscosmos said on Sunday.
āMeasures taken on 19 and 20 August to locate the craft and make contact with it were unsuccessful.ā
The space agency added that an investigation has been launched into the causes of the crash, without giving any indication of what technical problems might have occurred.
The Russian spacecraft was part of a big-power race to explore a part of the moon that scientists think may hold frozen water and precious elements.