After a week in space, the ill-fated Peregrine moon lander has reached its final destination, burning up in Earth’s atmosphere and bringing its mission to a dramatic close.
Designed to journey to the moon and settle on its surface, Peregrine encountered a critical propellant leak shortly after its launch on January 8. This unfortunate setback necessitated the cancellation of the entire mission.
Astrobotic Technology, the Pittsburgh-based company behind the spacecraft, confirmed that Peregrine safely disintegrated in Earth’s atmosphere at around 4:04 p.m. ET over a remote area of the South Pacific Ocean. While awaiting independent confirmation from government entities, Astrobotic acknowledged that contact with the lander was lost just before re-entry.
Efforts were made to salvage the mission, with the Astrobotic team working tirelessly for nine days to stabilize the spacecraft and its instruments. Unfortunately, due to the early malfunction, a controlled lunar landing became unviable.
“We commend Astrobotic for their perseverance,” stated NASA in response to thelander’s demise. This mission attracted significant attention as it marked the first U.S. lunar lander to launch in over 50 years. Had it been successful, Peregrine would have also become the first commercially developed spacecraft to land on the moon.
As of now, only the former Soviet Union, China, and India have accomplished controlled landings on the lunar surface. Japan plans to join this exclusive club with their Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) probe, set to attempt a landing on Friday.
The Peregrine mission was part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which aims to encourage private sector companies to develop moon landers for transporting cargo and scientific instruments to the lunar surface. Intuitive Machines, another Houston-based company, is expected to launch its own lander next month as part of the same initiative.
While there have been recent delays in NASA’s Artemis program, including the postponement of the first Artemis landing attempt, the agency remains committed to returning astronauts to the moon in the coming years. The long-term goal is to establish regular flights and build a lunar base camp.
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Source link: NBC News