Private U.S. Moon mission (1) infographic
Graphic shows facts and specs of the Peregrine Mission 1.
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SPACE

Private U.S. Moon mission in jeopardy

By Jordi Bou

January 9, 2024 - A robotic lander built by private company Astrobotic is attempting to make the first U.S. lunar soft landing in half a century, following its launch aboard the new Vulcan Centaur rocket.

The launch on Monday was flawless, and the spacecraft, built by Astrobotic Technology of Pittsburgh, separated 50 minutes into the flight; its systems powered on successfully.

However, a few hours later, Astrobotic reported a problem that prevented the spacecraft, known as Peregrine, from keeping itself in a steady orientation pointed at the sun.

The problem could prevent the spacecraft’s solar arrays from generating sufficient power to operate normally. Astrobotic is now looking into alternative mission scenarios.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 09/01/2024; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: NASA, Astrobotic
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