The Peregrine mission has abandoned its goal of reaching the Moon due to a “critical fuel loss.”
He Peregrine falcon modulewhich came out this Monday at Moon more than fifty years after the last moon landing USAhas only 40 hours of fuel reserve, which will prevent it from reaching its scheduled destination on February 23, according to the company. Astrobotic.
Peregrine Mission One (PM1) was launched early this Monday morning and was a success on new powerful Vulcan Centaur rocket from United Launch Alliance (ULA) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station V Florida but after a few hours he began to lose energy.
Although the engineers managed reorient panels from module to The sun for your energy supply and after reestablishing contact with the ship, they showed a “critical loss of fuel,” he said. Astrobotic in the mission update.
“If engines can continue to run“We believe the spacecraft can remain in a stable attitude state for approximately 40 more hours based on current fuel consumption,” the company said. Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania).
Given the new panorama, Astrobotic He said the goal now is to Peregrine falcon module “as much as possible” Moon before he loses his power.
In front of the module was 46 day trip reach lunar surface and become first American ship on the Moon landing since 1972.
Pilgrim transports scientific instruments POT As part of its initiative Commercial Lunar Cargo Services (CLPS) the purpose of which will be to study lunar exosphere (outer layer), thermal properties of lunar regolith (layer of loose material resting on solid rock), abundance hydrogen on the ground at the landing site and following radiation situation.
research missionsone of them is Mexican, will also help to better understand processes and planetary evolutionlook for evidence of existence water and other resourcesand support sustainable human research long-term.
In this sense POT assured this Monday that, despite the “failure” of the lunar module, he has “more space exploration instruments“
Administrator POT, Bill Nelsonemphasized on social networks “success” on this day new Vulcan Centaur rocket.
He added that Astrobotic “moving forward” to deliver under the initiative CLPS and from Artemis Program back to Moon.
Astrobotic also works with POT “To determine the impact of the agency’s five scientific studies aboard the spacecraft Pilgrim“
He Peregrine falcon module He also brought with him a piece of stone from Mount Everestand ashes and DNA space enthusiasts such as the creator of “Star Trek“, Gene Roddenberry.
(According to EFE)