2024-01-14 09:47:48
Six days in space before burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere. The journey of the American lander, Peregrine, which was to land on the Moon on February 23, will end.
The Astrobotic start-up that developed the moon lander has been publishing regular news on the status of Peregrine since its takeoff on January 8 aboard the new Vulcan Centaur rocket from the ULA group, which brings together Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
“Our latest estimate shows the spacecraft is heading toward Earth, where it will likely burn up in the atmosphere.”announced the company based in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) on X. “The team is currently evaluating possible options and we will update you as soon as possible. » The robot in space is currently 390,000 kilometers from our planet, Astrobotic added.
Shortly after separating from the rocket, the spacecraft suffered an onboard explosion, and it quickly became apparent that it would not be able to land softly on the Moon as originally planned, due to a fuel leak. . The Astrobotic team, however, managed to launch scientific experiments it carried on behalf of NASA and other space agencies, and to collect flight data.
In addition to scientific equipment, the spacecraft is carrying cargo for Astrobotic’s private clients, including a can of sports drink, a physical bitcoin, and ashes and DNA from humans and animals. It was also to transport scientific equipment for NASA worth $108 million.
Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers With the takeoff of Vulcan Centaur, the United States relaunch the conquest of the Moon
NASA is not giving up
To date, only four nations – the United States, the Soviet Union, China and India – have successfully landed a device on the Moon. Among them, only the United States has already sent human beings there. In recent years, private Israeli and Japanese companies have also attempted to land on the Moon, but these missions ended in crashes.
Despite this failure, NASA officials announced that they would continue to increase their attempts to increase their chances of success. The next one will be that of Intuitive Machines, in February. Astrobotic itself will get another chance in November with its Griffin lander carrying NASA’s Viper rover to the Moon’s south pole.
Read also | NASA postpones the return of astronauts to the Moon until 2026
#American #lander #Peregrine #heading #Earth #burn #atmosphere