Luna 26
{{Short description|Planned Russian lunar orbiter}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = Luna 26
| names_list = Luna-Resurs-Orbiter
Luna-Resurs O
| image = Maquette-Luna-Resurs-Orbiter-DSC 0076.jpg
| image_caption = Maquette of Luna-26 Moon orbiter
| image_size = 300px
| mission_type = Lunar orbiter, data relay
| operator = Roscosmos
| COSPAR_ID =
| SATCAT =
| website =
| mission_duration =
| spacecraft =
| spacecraft_type = Luna
| spacecraft_bus =
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| launch_mass = {{cvt|2100|kg}}
| dry_mass =
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| dimensions =
| power =
| launch_date = September 2027 (planned){{cite news|title=Launch dates for Luna-26 and Luna-27 will be specified based on the results of the release of technical projects (translated)|url=https://tass.ru/kosmos/17154979|date=27 February 2023|access-date=10 March 2023|publisher=TASS}}
| launch_rocket = Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat-M
| launch_site = Vostochny Site 1S
| launch_contractor = Roscosmos
| disposal_type =
| deactivated =
| last_contact =
| orbit_reference = Selenocentric orbit
| orbit_regime = Polar orbit
| orbit_periapsis = 80 km
| orbit_apoapsis = 50 km
| orbit_inclination =
| orbit_period =
| apsis = selene
|interplanetary = {{Infobox spaceflight/IP
| type = Orbiter
| object = Moon
| arrival_date =
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}}
| trans_band =
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| insignia =
| insignia_caption =
| insignia_size = 200px
| programme = Luna-Glob programme
| previous_mission = Luna 25
| next_mission = Luna 27
}}
Luna 26 (Luna-Resurs-Orbiter[http://www.iki.rssi.ru/eng/moon.htm Russian Moon exploration program] Russian Research Institute (IKI) 2017 or Luna-Resurs O) 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.[http://www.russianspaceweb.com/luna_glob_orbiter.html Luna-Glob Orbiter (Luna-Glob 2/Luna 26] Anatoly Zak, RussianSpaceWeb.com 10 October 2014 This mission was announced in November 2014, and its launch is planned for 2027 on a Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle.
Overview
The Luna 26 orbiter mission has been in planning since at least 2011. 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,{{cite news|last=Ghosh|first=Pallab|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34504067 |title=Europe and Russia mission to assess Moon settlement|publisher=BBC News|date=16 October 2015|access-date=2015-10-16}}{{cite web |url=http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/leag2014/presentations/carpenter.pdf|title=ESA's plans for Lunar Exploration|publisher=European Space Agency (ESA)|date=2014|access-date=2015-10-18}}{{cite web|url=http://congrexprojects.com/2014-events/14c05a/introduction|title=Russia-ESA Lunar Exploration Cooperation: Luna Mission Speed Dating|publisher=European Space Agency (ESA)|date=17 February 2014|access-date=2015-10-18}} but because of mass limitations, they will be launched separately. The orbiter's mass is about 2100 kg.
The objective of the orbiter is to locate and quantify natural lunar resources that can be exploited by future landed missions.[https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sergey_Krasilnikov/publication/320471564_Sources_of_materials_at_the_three_high-priority_landing_sites_of_the_Luna-Glob_mission/links/59e763ac0f7e9bed362beb26/Sources-of-materials-at-the-three-high-priority-landing-sites-of-the-Luna-Glob-mission.pdf Sources of materials at the three high-priority landing sites of the Luna-Glob mission] M. A. Ivanov, A. M. Abdrakhimov, A. T. Basilevsky, N. E. Demidov, E. N. Guseva, J. W. Head, H. Hiesinger, A. A. Kohanov, S. S. Krasilnikov; The Eighth Moscow Solar System Symposium, 2017 After completion of its primary mission, the spacecraft's orbit will be raised to about 500 km altitude to study cosmic rays.
International collaboration
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.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160817211038/http://lunarvolatiles.nasa.gov/current-activities/ Exploring and Using Lunar Polar Volatiles] International Strategic Coordination Published by NASA {{PD-notice}}[http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014EGUGA..16.6696M "Luna-Glob" and "Luna-Resurs": science goals, payload and status] Mitrofanov, Igor; Dolgopolov, Vladimir; Khartov, Viktor; Lukjanchikov, Alexandr; Tret'yakov, Vlad; Zelenyi, Lev; Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol. 16, EGU2014-6696, EGU General Assembly 2014 ESA cooperation with Russia on Luna 26 was discontinued on 13 April 2022 as a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{cite press release |url=https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Redirecting_ESA_programmes_in_response_to_geopolitical_crisis |title=Redirecting ESA programmes in response to geopolitical crisis |work=ESA |date=13 April 2022 |access-date=16 April 2022}}
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.{{cite web |last=Foust|first=Jeff|url=https://spacenews.com/nasa-studying-potential-cooperation-on-russian-lunar-science-missions/|title=NASA studying potential cooperation on Russian lunar science missions |publisher=SpaceNews|date=13 October 2017|access-date=17 September 2019}}
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.{{cite web|url=https://tass.com/science/1078599|title=Russia, China agree on joint Moon exploration|agency=TASS|date=17 September 2019|access-date=17 September 2019}}
Scientific payload
The scientific payload on board the orbiter is composed of fourteen instruments that will be fabricated by Russia and by some European partners. The payload will study the lunar surface and the environment around the Moon, including the solar wind, and high-energy cosmic rays. In 2017, the possibility to carry some NASA instruments was discussed. Luna 26 will also scout landing sites for the planned Luna 27 lander mission.[https://www.proquest.com/openview/4c044642c36b74f9367296d892c5a5f9/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=40798 The "Simplest Satellite" That Opened up the Universe] Zelenyi, Lev; Zakutnyaya, Olga; American Scientist; Research Triangle Park, Vol. 105, Issue 5, (September/October 2017): 282-289
Fate
Following the failure of the Luna 25 mission, the fate of the Luna 26 orbiter has been put into question.{{cite web |title=Russia lunar ambitions soar despite Luna-25 setback: Luna-26, Luna-27 missions in focus |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/sci-tech/2023/08/22/russia-lunar-ambitions-soar-despite-luna-25-setback--luna-26-lun.html |website=The Week |access-date=29 August 2023}} 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.{{cite web |last1=Katin |first1=P. |title=Looking past Luna 25's lunar landing failure: what's next? |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/08/luna-fails-to-land/ |website=NASASpaceFlight.com|date=20 August 2023 }} 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.{{cite journal |last1=O'Callaghan |first1=Jonathan |title=Russian Moon lander crash — what happened, and what's next? |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02659-6 |journal=Nature |date=2023 |doi=10.1038/d41586-023-02659-6 |pmid=37604864 |s2cid=261063736 |access-date=29 August 2023|url-access=subscription }}
See also
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Moon spacecraft}}
{{Russian space program}}
{{Future spaceflights}}