The Russian astronomer who advised Putin’s disastrous Luna 25 mission to the moon is hospitalized after the crash of an unmanned spacecraft
- Mikail Marov, 90, suffered a “sharp deterioration” in his health after the accident
- The Luna 25 mission failed after the spacecraft went out of control
A top astronomer who worked on Russia’s failed lunar expedition has suffered a “severe deterioration” in his health following yesterday’s crash of the Luna-25 spacecraft.
Mikhail Marov, 90, who was described as a key advisor to the mission, was hospitalized after a “sharp deterioration” in his health.
The Luna-25 unmanned spacecraft went out of control during Russia’s first lunar expedition in 47 years and crashed onto the lunar surface on August 19.
Marov’s health deteriorated after he called for an investigation into the expedition’s failure.
Russian sources are already blaming endemic corruption within the country’s space agency for the mission’s failure.
Mikhail Marov was hospitalized after the Luna-25 spacecraft crashed onto the lunar surface
The unmanned Luna-25 was Russia’s first attempt to land on the moon since 1976
It is now expected that the failure of the Luna 25 expedition will spark a blame game that will in turn lead to Putin firing those he blames for humiliating Russia.
Professor Marov, an ardent supporter of the moon mission, was devastated by the failed landing and made it clear that this was the reason for his sudden hospitalization at Moscow’s elite Central Clinical Hospital (TSKB).
The Russian professor is a giant of spacecraft design and an expert on Mars, Venus and the moon.
He made it clear that Luna-25 was his “last hope for reviving our lunar program” and that hope has now been dashed.
“It’s sad that we didn’t manage to land the device,” he said.
He now demands full transparency about the reasons why the Luna 25 expedition failed.
“There was a bug in the lunar orbit launch algorithms,” he said. “It must be found.”
“For the specialists who will be involved in the commission’s work, this will not pose a major problem. “I think the answer will be found in the foreseeable future.”
From the hospital, Marov – a Soviet-era space giant – told reporters, “I’m under surveillance.”
“How can I not worry?
“It was a big question of my life. It’s all very difficult.’
The Luna-25 spacecraft went out of control while preparing for landing
Mikhail Marov urges Russia to continue efforts to go into space and reach the moon
Professor Marov urged Russia to continue its efforts to go into space and land on the moon.
The Luna-25 unmanned spacecraft spiraled out of control as it was being prepared for landing.
“The apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist due to a collision with the lunar surface,” admitted Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency.
It was the most ambitious space project in Putin’s nearly 24 years as President or Prime Minister and underscores the country’s decline since the heady days of the Cold War, when Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space.
Russia has not had an attempt at a lunar mission since Luna-24 in 1976, when communist leader Leonid Brezhnev ruled the Kremlin.
Yuri Borisov, a Putin supporter and former deputy prime minister who now heads the Russian space agency, may now see his future at the agency in jeopardy
Mr Borisov is accused of dropping investigations into corruption and budget abuse at the space agency.