First US mission to Moon in nearly 50 years suffers major failure in space
America's first mission to the Moon in nearly 50 years has encountered a serious problem — technical issues with the spacecraft will likely mean that it won't reach its final destination.
Peregrine, the spacecraft produced by Astrobotic, reportedly experienced mechanical failure when it reached space. An "anomaly" prevented its tilting solar panels from turning toward the sun — a vital step in the craft's mission, as the panels allow it to recharge batteries and power itself.
Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Astrobotic Technologies is a private company founded by Carnegie Mellon professor Red Whittaker and others in 2007 as they strove to win Google's Lunar X Prize. The company's website states: "We’re the Moon company and more. We specialize in making space missions feasible and more affordable for science, exploration, and commerce."
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Peregrine was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida from a Vulcan rocket (AFP via Getty Images)It continues: "As a lunar logistics company, we provide end-to-end delivery services for payloads to the Moon." Peregrine was the latest venture in its repertoire.
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"Unfortunately, an anomaly occurred, which prevented Astrobotic from achieving a stable sun-pointing orientation," the company wrote in a statement it posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
Astrobotic continued: "The team is responding in real-time as the situation unfolds and will be providing updates as data is obtained and analyzed."
The craft launched at 2:18am local time on Monday, but it didn't get very far (AFP via Getty Images)The mission was set to be a commercial one, the first of its kind to reach the Moon. The U.S. Space Force had purchased space on the lander for five instruments it wished to use to study the moon's environment. It plans to send astronauts to the surface later this decade. The mission is set to cost around $108 million for NASA.
Peregrine launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at around 2:18am local time. The Space Force operates a station there, and the lander took off with the brand-new Vulcan Centaur rocket from United Launce Alliance. It successfully got to space before the problems began, the company wrote on X.
The craft was set to reach the Moon by February 23"After successfully separating from United Launce Alliance's Vulcan rocket, Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander began receiving telemetry via the NASA Deep Space Network," the company wrote. "Astrobotics-built avionics systems, including the primary command and data handling unit, as well as the thermal propulsion and power controllers, all powered on and performed as expected."
The company continued: "After successful propulsion systems activation, Peregrine entered a fully operational state." But that's when things took a turn for the worse. The situation continues to be monitored, including by NASA, which has partnered with the company to help it complete the mission. It was set to reach the Moon by February 23.
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