Image: AFP/ASTROBOTIC
Due to a fuel leak, the engines will probably only be able to keep the Peregrine capsule in a stable position for a short period of time, said the Pittsburgh company Astrobotic. “Our current goal is to get Peregrine as close to lunar orbit as we can before it loses the ability to orient itself toward the Sun and subsequently runs out of batteries.”
Initially, the start on Monday went as planned and the systems worked as expected. “Unfortunately, there was a disruption that prevented Astrobotic from assuming a stable position facing the sun.”
Drive system malfunction
According to initial investigations, this was probably due to a fault in the drive system, it was said shortly afterwards. In the meantime, however, it was possible to orient the capsule’s position towards the sun and charge the battery again. A first photo of “Peregrine” from space published by Astrobotic showed damage to the insulation layer, which the company said also indicates problems with the propulsion system.
“Every success and every setback are opportunities to learn and grow,” said NASA manager Joel Kearns. “We will use this lesson to advance our lunar exploration, exploration and commercial development efforts.”
The unmanned lander “Peregrine” was launched from the Cape Canaveral spaceport on Monday morning aboard a “Vulcan Centaur” rocket from the manufacturer ULA. The capsule was actually supposed to land on Earth’s satellite at the end of February in an area called Sinus Viscositatis (Bay of Stickiness) and complete the first – unmanned – US moon landing since the Apollo mission over 50 years ago.
The Japanese also failed
In April 2023, a Japanese company failed in a similar mission, the company Ispace citing an incorrect altitude calculation of the lander during the landing attempt.
With the “Peregrine Mission 1” private individuals were able to buy space to transport material to the moon in the lander, which is 1.9 meters high and has a diameter of 2.5 meters. The US space agency Nasa also wants to prepare its own expeditions to Earth’s companions with several devices on the journey. NASA would like to examine, among other things, the lunar exosphere during the mission. In addition, thermal properties and the hydrogen content of the material on the lunar surface (regolith) will be investigated.
Collaboration with commercial providers
As with the ISS space station, NASA is working increasingly closely with commercial providers on lunar projects because this has proven to be an efficient and ultimately cost-saving way. Conversely, the business model of private companies has so far often depended on government clients.
As part of the “Artemis” program, NASA currently wants to orbit the moon with three men and one woman on the ten-day “Artemis 2” mission at the end of 2024. In 2025, “Artemis 3” – at least according to the current plan – will see astronauts land on the moon again after more than half a century, including a woman and a non-white person for the first time. The long-term goal of “Artemis” is to establish a permanent lunar base as a basis for missions to Mars. NASA has announced a press conference on “Artemis” for Tuesday to provide information about the current status of the program.
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