Names | Luna-Resurs-Orbiter Luna-Resurs O |
---|---|
Mission type | Lunar orbiter, data relay |
Operator | Roscosmos |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | Luna |
Launch mass | 2,100 kg (4,600 lb) [1] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | September 2027 (planned) [2] |
Rocket | Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat-M |
Launch site | Vostochny Site 1S |
Contractor | Roscosmos |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Selenocentric orbit |
Regime | Polar orbit |
Periselene altitude | 80 km |
Aposelene altitude | 50 km |
Moon orbiter | |
Luna 26 (Luna-Resurs-Orbiter [3] or Luna-Resurs O [4] ) is a planned lunar polar orbiter, part of the Luna-Glob program, by Roscosmos. In addition to its scientific role, the Luna 26 orbiter would also function as a telecomm relay between Earth and Russian landed assets. [1] This mission was announced in November 2014, and its launch is planned for 2027 on a Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle. [2]
The Luna 26 orbiter mission has been in planning since at least 2011. [1] Originally it was envisioned to be launched to the Moon together with the lunar lander Luna 27 which will land on the South Pole–Aitken basin, an unexplored area on the far side of the Moon, [5] [4] [6] but because of mass limitations, they will be launched separately. [1] The orbiter's mass is about 2100 kg. [1]
The objective of the orbiter is to locate and quantify natural lunar resources that can be exploited by future landed missions. [7] After completion of its primary mission, the spacecraft's orbit will be raised to about 500 km altitude to study cosmic rays. [3]
The European Space Agency (ESA) had intended to contribute to this and other Luna-Glob missions in the manner of communications, precision landing, hazard avoidance, drilling, sampling, sample analysis and ground support. [8] [9] ESA cooperation with Russia on Luna 26 was discontinued on 13 April 2022 as a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. [10]
As of October 2017, the U.S. space agency NASA was negotiating and assessing a potential collaboration with the Luna-Glob missions Luna 25 through Luna 28. [11]
In September 2019, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and Roscosmos signed two agreements on scientific cooperation and coordination between Luna 26 and the upcoming Chang'e 7 lunar polar orbiter. [12]
The scientific payload on board the orbiter is composed of fourteen instruments [1] that will be fabricated by Russia and by some European partners. [1] The payload will study the lunar surface and the environment around the Moon, including the solar wind, and high-energy cosmic rays. [1] In 2017, the possibility to carry some NASA instruments was discussed. [11] Luna 26 will also scout landing sites for the planned Luna 27 lander mission. [13]
Following the failure of the Luna 25 mission, the fate of the Luna 26 orbiter has been put into question. [14] Due to the entire Roscosmos leadership team from Luna 25 being replaced, the Luna 26 mission is likely to continue as planned so that the new leadership team can get experience with a Lunar orbiter before attempting another landing with Luna 27. [15] However, there is still a chance that Luna 26 as it exists is scrapped in favor of another attempt at the Luna 25 lander. Regardless, the loss of Luna 25 will delay the Luna 26 mission in whatever form it takes. [16]
A lander is a spacecraft that descends towards, then comes to rest on the surface of an astronomical body other than Earth. In contrast to an impact probe, which makes a hard landing that damages or destroys the probe upon reaching the surface, a lander makes a soft landing after which the probe remains functional.
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Luna 27 is a planned lunar lander mission by the Roscosmos to send a lander to the South Pole–Aitken basin, an area on the far side of the Moon. Its objective will be to detect and characterise lunar polar volatiles. The mission is a continuation of the Luna-Glob programme.
The Lunar Gateway, or simply Gateway, is a space station which is planned to be assembled in orbit around the Moon. The Gateway is intended to serve as a communication hub, science laboratory, and habitation module for astronauts as part of the Artemis program. It is a multinational collaborative project: participants include NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC). The Gateway is planned to be the first space station beyond low Earth orbit.
Luna 25 was a failed Russian lunar lander mission by Roscosmos in August 2023 that planned to land near the lunar south pole, in the vicinity of the crater Boguslawsky.
The year 2022 witnessed the number of launches of SpaceX's Falcon rocket family surpassing the CNSA's Long March rocket family, making the United States the country with the highest number of launches in 2022 instead of China. This year also featured the first successful launch of Long March 6A, Nuri, Angara 1.2, Vega C, Kinetica-1, and Jielong-3. National space agencies' activities in this year was also affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which led to tensions between Roscosmos and Western space agencies, leading to threats of ending collaboration on the International Space Station (ISS), and resulting in several delays on various space missions.
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The Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX), is a planned joint lunar mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The mission would send an uncrewed lunar lander and rover to explore the south pole region of the Moon no earlier than 2028. It is envisaged to explore the permanently shadowed regions and to determine the quantity and quality of water on the Moon. JAXA is likely to provide the H3 launch vehicle and the rover, while ISRO would be providing the lander.
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