Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander suffered a malfunction after separation from the VLA Centaur rocket on Jan. 8, 2024. Updates: https://www.astrobotic.com/category/press/
*The Latest Update Latest update from Astrobotic: "Unfortunately, it appears the failure within the propulsion system is causing a critical loss of propellant. The team is working to try and stabilize this loss, but given the situation, we have prioritized maximizing the science and data we can capture. We are currently assessing what alternative mission profiles may be feasible at this time."
Astrobotic Peregrine: Mini Rovers on the Moon
The Peregrine mission to the moon, under NASA's commercial lunar payload services (CLPS) initiative, faced disappointment due to a propellent valve failure and subsequent propellant leak, preventing a soft landing. Despite this setback, the speaker expressed excitement for future astrobotic missions and promised an update on the mission.
The mission aimed to deliver advanced technology demonstrations to the moon, including NASA instruments such as radiation monitors, spectrometers, and cameras to assess environmental hazards, identify resources, and investigate the moon's early origins. Objectives included creating mineral composition maps, searching for life-sustaining water molecules, and demonstrating advanced autonomous landing capabilities.
The video highlights commercial aspects and future plans related to lunar exploration, discussing personalized moonboxes, time capsules, custom rovers, and potential lunar infrastructure construction through peragine derivatives. It envisions an enduring lunar era of science and commerce.
The Peregrine mission holds historical significance as the inaugural flight under NASA's CLPS initiative. It emphasizes the importance of public-private partnerships in expanding lunar capabilities and unlocking the moon's secrets. The speaker expressed enthusiasm for potential scientific discoveries and commercial opportunities, noting the shift from extraordinary to routine moon missions in the new commercial era of lunar exploration.
Credits: footage & animation courtesy: ULA / Astrobotic / NASA
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