Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander, the first U.S. lander bound for the Moon since 1972, met an unfortunate end as it burned up in Earth’s atmosphere. The spacecraft’s hopes of reaching the Moon were dashed less than a day after it launched, leading to its responsible destruction. Astrobotic has been providing continuous insights into the mission, allowing the public to witness the challenges of spaceflight in detail.
The Peregrine lunar lander is believed to have reentered Earth’s atmosphere on January 18. Astrobotic announced that any debris from the lander was expected to splash down in the South Pacific Ocean, south of Fiji. The company lost telemetry from the spacecraft as expected, marking the end of the mission that launched on January 8 onboard United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket.
This mission was the first lander to launch as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. NASA paid $108 million to secure spots for five of its payloads among a total of 20 onboard the lander.
The Peregrine lander encountered an issue with its propulsion system shortly after launch. Astrobotic stated that a valve between the helium pressurant and the oxidizer failed to reseal, causing a rush of high-pressure helium that ruptured the oxidizer tank. While this is a working theory, a full analysis report will be produced after the mission is complete.
Despite the propulsion system issue, ULA’s Vulcan rocket successfully inserted Peregrine into the planned translunar trajectory. The lander was able to reach lunar distance on January 12, although not at the intended location. Due to the anomaly, long controlled burns were impossible, but Astrobotic and NASA decided that it was most responsible for the lander to return to Earth.
While the goal of reaching the Moon was not achieved, Astrobotic gained valuable data for future missions and its customers. The lander sent back its first in-space photo less than a day after launch, showing disturbed Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) that confirmed the propulsion system problem. NASA was able to power on four of its five payloads, which will provide valuable experience and scientific data for future lunar deliveries.
The teleconference hosted by NASA and Astrobotic on January 19 will provide further insights into this first CLPS mission. Despite the setback, the mission has paved the way for future lunar exploration and advancements in space technology.
