It should have been the prelude to the US return to the Moon. But just hours after the rocket's successful launch, US company Astrobotic's mission threatens to fail.
Astrobotics' “Peregrine” lunar module was launched yesterday morning from Cape Canaveral spaceport aboard a Vulcan Centaur rocket from manufacturer ULA. In the early afternoon, Astrobotic reported that although the module with the lander successfully separated from the rocket, there was a problem with the propulsion system.
“Unfortunately, there was a glitch that prevented 'Peregrine' from assuming a stable position facing the sun,” wrote Astrobotic on X (Twitter). The company later announced that although the solar panels were successfully aligned toward the sun, the spacecraft was losing fuel.
“Alternative application profiles”
“We are currently examining what possible alternative uses are possible,” the company continued. The focus now is on collecting as much scientific data as possible. The statements indicate that a successful landing on the Moon appears increasingly unlikely.
If the mission had gone as planned, the lunar module would have landed on Earth's satellite in late February, in an area called Sinus Viscositatis (Bay of Grip).
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