Scientists Debate Location of Derelict Soviet Moon Lander

Two teams claim to have spotted traces of the historic Luna 9 probe, but disagree on its final resting place.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

In 1966, the Soviet Union landed the small, spherical Luna 9 probe on the lunar surface, becoming the first spacecraft to achieve a soft landing and return photos from the Moon. However, the exact location of the historic lander has long been a mystery. Now, two teams of scientists claim to have spotted signs of Luna 9 on the lunar surface, but they disagree on where it is located.

Why it matters

The search for Luna 9 is an intriguing scientific treasure hunt, as the successful landing of the Soviet probe was a major milestone in space exploration, preceding the first human Moon landing by three years. Confirming the lander's location could provide valuable insights into early lunar exploration efforts.

The details

The Luna 9 probe is only about 2 feet across, making it extremely difficult to spot from lunar orbit. One team, led by science communicator Vitaly Egorov, believes they have identified Luna 9's final resting place by studying the horizon features in the probe's original black-and-white images. However, researchers at University College London have used a machine learning algorithm to pinpoint a different potential landing site, based on analysis of past lunar landing sites. The Indian space agency's Chandrayaan-2 satellite is set to take a closer look in March to try to resolve the debate.

  • In 1966, the Soviet Union landed the Luna 9 probe on the lunar surface.
  • In 2026, two teams of scientists claim to have spotted signs of the derelict Luna 9 lander.
  • In March 2026, India's Chandrayaan-2 satellite will attempt to confirm the lander's location.

The players

Vitaly Egorov

A science communicator who has led a crowdsourcing effort to locate the final resting place of the Luna 9 lander.

University College London

A team of researchers at the university who have developed a machine learning algorithm to identify potential landing sites for Luna 9 and other historic lunar probes.

Chandrayaan-2

An Indian space agency satellite that will attempt to directly observe the Luna 9 lander in March 2026 to resolve the debate over its location.

Mark Robinson

The principal investigator of the camera on NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, who has noted the difficulty of spotting the small Luna 9 lander from orbit.

Anatoly Zak

A Russian spaceflight expert and space journalist who believes that better cameras in lunar orbit will eventually confirm the location of Luna 9 and other historic Soviet probes.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“You can stare at an image, and maybe that's it, but you can't really know for sure.”

— Mark Robinson, Principal Investigator, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (New York Times)

“It's just a matter of placing bigger and better cameras into orbit around the moon. In our lifetimes, we probably will see those sites.”

— Anatoly Zak, Russian Spaceflight Expert and Space Journalist (New York Times)

What’s next

India's Chandrayaan-2 satellite is scheduled to take a closer look at the potential landing sites for Luna 9 in March 2026 in an effort to definitively confirm the location of the historic Soviet lander.

The takeaway

The search for the final resting place of the Luna 9 lander highlights the challenges of identifying and studying small, decades-old artifacts on the lunar surface. While the exact location remains elusive, the ongoing efforts to locate this pioneering Soviet spacecraft demonstrate the enduring scientific and historical significance of early lunar exploration.