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By Robyn White
Nature Reporter
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New photographs from the Moon show its surface shortly after a Russian spacecraft crashed into it.
The pictures were captured during the Indian space mission Chandrayaan-3, as its lander, Vikram, neared the lunar south pole.
The photographs were released by the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) just one day after Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft crashed into the area after experiencing problems during its pre-landing orbit.
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The lunar south pole has never been explored before. Scientists believe they may find frozen water in the area, and elements that future astronauts could use for air and rocket fuel.
Russia's spacecraft—which was the country's first Moon mission in 50 years— would have been the first ever to land there, had it not encountered problems. On Saturday, Russia's space agency, Roscosmos, lost contact with the Luna-25, it said in a statement, as reported by the BBC.
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It said in a later statement that the craft "ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the Moon" after it spun out of control.
"Every space mission is very risky and highly technical. It's unfortunate that Luna-25 has crashed," Isro told the BBC in a statement, following the accident.
The craft had been racing to land on the area against Chandrayaan-3, which is set to close in on the Moon on August 23.
Landing on this area of the Moon is no simple feat. The area is often nicknamed "the dark side of the Moon" as it faces away from us. Although it is no more devoid of light than the other parts of the moon, astronomers know little about it.
Scientists want to explore the area mainly to hunt for water ice. It is possible that if this is found, it could make the moon habitable for humans at some point in the future.
If the Chandrayaan-3 is successful, it will now be the first ever landing on the lunar south pole.
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After departing, Chandrayaan-3 orbited the Earth until it entered the Moon's orbit on August 5.
Descending from lunar orbit to the Moon's surface is always the most hazardous part of a Moon mission.
This is for several reasons. The Moon's surface has a large amount of dust, which can interfere with the mission's sensors. It's also rocky and uneven, and finding a smooth place to land can prove tricky, the Indian Express reported.
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