The US moon lander is heading for Earth. Astrobotic, the company behind it, has decided to destroy it sooner than planned. This move aims to avoid any potential harm to other satellites orbiting our planet. While there was a chance to redirect the lander, Astrobotic considers it too risky around other spacecraft, prioritising satellite safety with early termination.
Astrobotic has been providing regular updates on the Peregrine lander’s condition since its troubled mission, which was initiated with the launch of a new Vulcan rocket by United Launch Alliance on January 8.
Shortly after separating from the rocket, the spacecraft suffered an onboard explosion. It quickly became evident that it would not achieve a gentle lunar touchdown due to the substantial loss of fuel. Nevertheless, despite the challenges, Astrobotic’s team activated science experiments onboard intended for NASA and other space agencies and collected valuable spaceflight data.
“Our latest assessment now shows the spacecraft is on a path towards Earth, where it will likely burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere,” the Pittsburgh-based company posted on X.
“The team is currently assessing options, and we will update as soon as possible,” it added.
Having spent over five days in space, the box-shaped robot currently resides 242,000 miles (390,000 kilometres) from Earth, according to Astrobotic.
Space enthusiasts closely monitoring Peregrine’s journey had held out hope for a “hard landing” on the Moon, a feat accomplished by some unsuccessful landers in the past. However, it is evident that even this scaled-down objective won’t be realised.
In addition to scientific equipment, the spacecraft bears cargo for private clients of Astrobotic, featuring a diverse array that includes a sports drink can, a physical Bitcoin, human and animal ashes, and DNA. Astrobotic joins the list of private entities that have faced setbacks in achieving a soft lunar landing, trailing behind an Israeli nonprofit and a Japanese company.
Under the Experimental program Commercial Lunar Payload Services, NASA invested over $100 million in Astrobotic for transporting its cargo. The program aims to foster a commercial lunar economy and reduce NASA’s operational costs.
Despite this setback, NASA remains resilient in its approach, emphasising a “more shots on goal” strategy to increase the chances of success. The upcoming attempt by Houston-based Intuitive Machines, set to launch in February, aligns with this strategy. Astrobotic itself is poised for redemption in November with its Griffin lander, entrusted with transporting NASA’s VIPER rover to the lunar south pole.
Astrobotic’s Peregrine
It may be recalled that the Peregrine lander, crafted by Astrobotic and propelled into space by a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur rocket, the spacecraft faced a pivotal setback when it experienced a critical fuel leak shortly after parting ways with its booster stage.
This unforeseen malfunction has effectively concluded the mission, rendering the lander unable to accomplish its planned gentle touchdown on the lunar surface.
Astrobotic’s ambitious venture was poised to be a groundbreaking achievement in private lunar exploration. Regrettably, the loss of fuel shattered these aspirations and set Peregrine on an irreversible path towards a collision with Earth.
