America’s groundbreaking private lunar mission is facing imminent failure on Monday following a “critical loss” of fuel, dealing a significant setback to America’s aspirations of deploying its first robotic spacecraft on the Moon in fifty years, as reported by AFP.
The Peregrine Lunar Lander, affixed to the inaugural flight of United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket, successfully launched from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station but encountered technical challenges shortly afterward. Astrobotic, the mission’s organizer, reported issues with orienting Peregrine’s solar panel toward the Sun and maintaining the onboard battery due to a propulsion system malfunction.
Despite engineering improvisations to correct the spacecraft’s orientation, Astrobotic acknowledged a “critical loss of propellant” on X, indicating the potential failure of a controlled lunar touchdown. An image released by the company displayed extensive damage to the spacecraft’s outer layer, supporting their theory of a propulsion system anomaly.
Initially scheduled to reach the Moon, maintain orbit, and land in the Sinus Viscositatis region on February 23, Peregrine’s apparent failure raises concerns about the viability of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which aims to utilize commercial entities for lunar exploration at reduced costs.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed optimism about ULA’s Vulcan rocket success and underscored the agency’s commitment to expanding space exploration with commercial partners. Despite Astrobotic receiving over $100 million from NASA for the mission, questions may arise about the efficacy of the CLPS program.
US lunar lander challenges
The challenges of a controlled Moon landing were highlighted, with roughly half of all attempts historically ending in failure. Without an atmosphere for parachute use, spacecraft rely solely on thrusters for descent, navigating challenging terrain. The U.S. is leaning on the commercial sector, including companies like Astrobotic, to advance lunar exploration as part of NASA’s Artemis program.
In the face of adversity, NASA remains invested in lunar exploration, with another contracted company, Intuitive Machines, set to launch in February. The Artemis program aims to pave the way for astronaut returns to the Moon, a crucial step in preparation for future Mars missions.
Private payloads aboard Peregrine, including a physical Bitcoin, cremated remains, and DNA, face an uncertain fate. Controversy surrounds the inclusion of human remains, with the Navajo Nation, the largest Indigenous tribe in the U.S., objecting to the act as a desecration of sacred space, though their concerns were ultimately overlooked by White House and NASA officials.
