Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Claim
Live footage of Luna-25 crashing on the Moon’s surface.
Fact
Video can be traced back to at least March 3, 2022. As per Sci Tech Daily, the video is an artist’s animation of a rocket crashing on the moon’s surface.
Luna-25, Russia’s first lunar mission in 47 years, crashed on the moon’s surface after spinning into an uncontrolled orbit. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos said it lost contact with the Luna-25 on August 19 after the spacecraft ran into difficulties and reported an “abnormal situation”. “The apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the Moon,” it said in a statement.
Soon after, video of an object colliding with the moon’s surface and exploding went viral on social media platforms, with users alleging that it shows the Russian lander crashing onto the moon. Newschecker found the claim to be untrue.
Multiple social media users shared the fifteen-second-long-video claiming, “LIVE Footage, How Russia’s Luna-25 has crashed into the Moon.”
Such posts can be seen here, here, here, here, here and here.
Also Read: No, This Video Does Not Show ‘Amazing View’ Of Earth Shot By Chandrayaan 3
Fact Check/Verification
On comparing the object seen in the video with the publicly available images of Luna-25, we did not find any resemblance either in the shape, structure or colours between the two.
Following this, we conducted a Google lens search on the keyframes of the viral footage which led us to an article by Sci Tech Daily, dated March 3, 2022, titled, “A Rocket Is Going To Crash Into the Moon Friday – NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Will Get an Up-Close View of the Smoldering Crater.”
It featured the viral video with the caption, “Artist’s animation of a rocket booster crashing into the moon,” and elaborated, “On March 4, 2022, a lonely, spent rocket booster will smack into the surface of the Moon at nearly 6,000 mph. Once the dust has settled, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will move into position to get an up-close view of the smoldering crater and hopefully shed some light on the mysterious physics of planetary impacts.”
We also found a video report by WION on the March 2022 crash on the moon, dated June 29, 2022, carrying the footage.
Also Read: Here’s The Truth Behind Viral Videos Shared To Show Launch Of Chandrayaan 3
A Facebook post by @AreYouAware92, dated March 5, 2022, also carried the viral clip with the caption, “Rogue rocket booster crashed on surface of moon.”
The video was also shared on Instagram on June 15, 2022, with the caption, “Artist’s animation of a rocket booster crashing into the moon.”
A discarded part of a rocket had crashed onto the moon’s surface on March 4, 2022. “The three-tonne rocket part had been tracked for a number of years, but its origin was contested,” said BBC. Initially it was believed to be a part of a SpaceX rocket, but later claimed to be from a Chinese launch- however China had denied the same.
We were not able to find any official video of the March 4, 2022 crash as well.
Conclusion
Viral video predates the crash on Luna-25, and can be traced back to at least March 3, 2022. As per a report by Sci Tech Daily, the video is an artist animation of a rocket crashing on the moon’s surface, however we were not independently able to ascertain the whereabouts of the clip.
Result: False
Sources
Article By Sci Tech Daily, Dated March 3, 2022
Facebook Post By @AreYouAware92, Dated March 5, 2022
If you would like us to fact-check a claim, give feedback or lodge a complaint, WhatsApp us at 9999499044 or email us at checkthis@newschecker.in. You can also visit the Contact Us page and fill out the form.
Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
