The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured images showing a fresh crater on the lunar surface, which is widely interpreted as the probable crash site of Russia’s Luna 25 mission. NASA confirmed the event and provided context about the relevant area and imagery.
NASA described Luna-25 as having collided with an anomaly during its descent, leading to a crash on the Moon on August 19. Roscosmos released the coordinates of the impact point on August 21. On August 22, the LROC team and the LRO Mission Operations team coordinated to command the LRO spacecraft to acquire new photographs, and the photos were obtained on August 24. By comparing pre-crash imagery with the post-crash photographs, investigators identified a small new crater. The earliest available image of the area from LRO dates to June 2022 (frame M1410024427R), indicating the crater formed after that date. Because the new crater lies close to Luna 25’s presumed impact site, the evidence suggests the crater results from Luna 25’s mission rather than a natural impact (NASA; Roscosmos).
The Luna 25 lander is reported to have struck the southwestern rim of Ponteculan G crater on August 19, 2023, at 07:58 Eastern Time (11:58 UTC).
The crater itself measures roughly 10 meters in diameter and sits at approximately 57.865 degrees south latitude and 61.360 degrees east longitude, at an elevation near minus 360 meters. The impact point is estimated to be about 400 kilometers from Luna 25’s planned landing coordinates, which lie at 69.545 degrees south and 43.544 degrees east, near the steep inner rim of Ponteculan G crater, where the slope exceeds 20 degrees.
The sequence of events underscores how orbital assets and remote sensing enable rapid post-mission assessments. Multiple camera passes and cross-referencing historical imagery allow scientists to distinguish new surface features caused by recent activity from long-standing lunar formations. The collaboration between the LRO team, the LROC project, and mission operations demonstrates the value of sustained, high-resolution observation in confirming mission outcomes and in documenting changes on the Moon’s surface (NASA; LRO operations).
Context from prior missions and long-term lunar cartography supports the interpretation of this feature as an artificial crater rather than a natural impact. The new crater’s proximity to Luna 25’s documented landing corridor reinforces the conclusion that the event was a byproduct of the Luna 25 mission profile. The ongoing analysis of the event continues to refine the understanding of descent trajectories, impact risk assessment, and the planning of future endeavors to explore and sample the Moon’s far side and polar regions.
Historical notes on extant lunar exploration remind observers that human-made objects have interacted with the Moon many times, contributing to a growing record of transient and permanent changes on the surface. The Luna 25 case adds another data point in the assessment of risk factors associated with lunar descent, including terrain selection, attitude control during approach, and the handling of unanticipated anomalies. The information released by space agencies emphasizes the importance of precise landing site characterization for future missions and international collaborations in lunar exploration (NASA; Roscosmos).