Peregrine: What the first US-controlled moon landing mission in 51 years is looking for (and the unprecedented role of a private company)

The five scientific instruments on board will study the lunar surface environment ahead of manned missions planned for this decade.

Peregrine is part of a wave of spacecraft that will attempt to land on the lunar surface in 2024, possibly as early as next year. eight different projects, including from Japan and China.

Astrobotic’s mission began aboard the new Vulcan rocket, which lifted off from its platform in Florida at 02:18 local time (07:18 GMT). Fifty minutes later, after a perfect flight, the ship separated and flew towards the Moon.

It will take several weeks to get into position for the Moon landing attempt.

However, due to problems with aiming the solar panels, the ship’s batteries could not be recharged and the mission would have been jeopardized. Astrobotics engineers said they will make further announcements as soon as more information becomes available.

The descent is scheduled for February 23. over a smooth valley of lava on the near side of the Moon known as Sinus Viscositatis, or “Sticky Bay,” indicating the type of volcanic material that may have accumulated on the surrounding hills.

Since the last mission of the Apollo program in 1972, the United States has not attempted a controlled landing on the surface of the Moon.although in the meantime he did send out several probes that, for one reason or another, intentionally crashed.

NASA has put lunar surface operations back on its agenda as it wants to resume its missions with astronauts and will use its commercial partners to ship scientific instruments, equipment and supplies in general.According to the agency, this will reduce costs in the long term.

Astrobotic is the first of three US companies that will send a lander under this new agreement. Two other companies, Intuitive Machines and Firefly, will do so in the coming months.

Even, Intuitive machines from Houston may be able to reach the lunar surface before Astrobotic. because although its module won’t launch until mid-February, it will take a faster route to the Moon.

These three companies have NASA as their “client,” but the space agency is not “responsible” for their missions. The companies designed the spacecraft themselves and will be responsible for flight control.

“This initiative is incredibly important,” says Andy Jones, director of landers and spacecraft at Astrobotic.

“This allowed a small company like Astrobotic to take a module to the Moon. Without this we would never have been able to do this. But the best thing is that attracts more creative minds, new minds, new concepts that will help speed up the development of the technologies needed to get us back to the moon. and have a more active presence on the Moon.”

NASA’s payload aboard Peregrine will focus on creating preparation for the later human presence on the lunar surface.

For example, the Pergrine Ion Mass Spectrometer (PITMS) will seek to better understand how water moves on the Moon. Water is considered an important resource for future astronauts, whether for drinking or as a base for the production of rocket fuel.

The main PITMS sensor was built in the UK by the Open University (OU) and the RAL-Space space research and development centre.

The development was led by Dr Simeon Barber from the OU. “Water is very important for astronauts to drink and for its purity. “This is really a key molecule for unlocking the future of a new way of exploring space,” he told BBC News.

Since NASA is simply listed as a client of the mission, Astrobotic is free to sell cargo space to others. Among the most important additional items on board are several small all-terrain vehicles, including a group of tiny two-wheeled robots from Mexico.

Also on board are cultural heritage items such as photographs, drawings, plaques and audio recordings. But, oddly enough, there is also a bag of cremated human remains. Two companies in Peregrina have small “memory” capsules. A contains the DNA of famous British science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke..

This fact angered the Navajo people., one of the indigenous peoples of North America who consider the moon to be a sacred place. They called on NASA to stop the mission because they interpreted it as an act of desecration.

The first of the 2024 Moon landing attempts will be conducted by the Japan Space Agency (JAXA) and is expected to occur on January 15.

JAXA’s Smart Lunar Lander (SLIM) will target a point near Scioli Crater, which is located just south of the Moon’s equator on its near side.

China will continue its recent exploration work on the Moon by sending a mission to the dark side to bring rocks back to Earth for study. This should happen in the middle of the year.

While all eyes will be on Peregrine’s journey in the coming weeks, it’s also worth thinking about. success of the Vulcan rocket, which made its first flight after 10 years of development.

United Launch Alliance (ULA), the company behind the vehicle, has a proven track record of launching US and NASA national security missions. Vulcan will assume these responsibilities as the company retires its current fleet of rockets.

President and CEO of ULA, Tory Bruno couldn’t hide his happiness at the completion of his new rocket launch.

“Hooray!” – shouted the leader, who usually wears a cowboy hat. “I’m so excited. I’m so proud of this team. By God, it’s been years of hard work.”