Russian Space Agency Chief Blames Decades of Inactivity for Luna-25 Lander’s Crash on the Moon

An image of the lunar south pole region on the far side of the moon captured by Russia's Luna-25 spacecraft before its failed attempt to land, in a photo released on Aug. 17, 2023. Centre for Operation of Space Ground-Based Infrastructure-Roscosmos State Space Corporation via AP

LONDON—The head of Russia’s space agency said Monday that the Luna-25 spacecraft crashed into the moon after its engines failed to shut down correctly, and he blamed the country’s decades-long pause in lunar exploration for the mishap.

The pilotless Luna-25 had been scheduled to land Monday while aiming to become the first spacecraft to touch down on the south pole of the moon, an area where scientists believe important reserves of frozen water and precious elements may exist.