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Russian spacecraft Luna-25 has crashed into the moon, Roscosmos has confirmed following worries over an "abnormal situation".
The unmanned robot lander was launched earlier this month and has since crashed into the surface of the moon after spinning into an uncontrolled orbit.
Roscosmos representatives say they lost contact with the satellite shortly after a craft-related problem which led to an "unpredictable orbit".
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A spokesperson for the space agency has since confirmed the disastrous crash, with the satellite's intended use of collecting moon rock samples now impossible.
Russia had hoped to land the satellite on the moon tomorrow (Monday, August 21), but had confirmed some flight-path problems earlier this week.
A Roscosmos spokesperson said: "The apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the moon."
Luna-25's crash into the moon comes as a technical glitch with the rocket was experienced during a pre-landing orbit on Sunday, August 20.
The spacecraft was charting a region on the moon's south pole, with scientists believing the area could hold frozen water and precious elements.
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Russia's first moon mission in almost 50 years has ended in disastrous circumstances, with the space agency losing contact with Luna-25 after running into difficulties earlier this week.
The unmanned craft had been set to make a soft landing to collect samples of rock and dust in the moon's south pole.
Scientists are particularly interested in the moon's south pole due to the polar craters which may hold water due to the permanently shadowed area.
The frozen water in the rocks could be transformed by future explorers into air and rocket fuel.
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