A US space mission with the aim of the first successful commercial landing on the moon initially appears to have failed. The Pittsburgh company Astrobotic said there was a malfunction shortly after launch on Monday. Initially, the start went as planned and the systems worked as expected. But then a disturbance occurred that prevented the spacecraft from assuming a stable position facing the sun.
According to initial investigations, this was probably due to a fault in the drive system, it was said shortly afterwards. If this is confirmed, the planned soft landing on the moon would also be at risk. In addition, the charge on the battery temporarily reached a low level until it was possible to orient the capsule’s position towards the sun and charge the battery again.
Shortly afterwards, however, Astrobotic announced that fuel now appeared to be leaking. “The team is trying to stabilize the loss, but given the situation, our priority is to maximize the scientific data we can collect. We are currently analyzing what alternative mission profiles would currently be possible.”
“Every success and every setback are opportunities to learn and grow,” said NASA manager Joel Kearns. “We will use this lesson to advance our lunar exploration, exploration and commercial development efforts.”
The unmanned lander Peregrine was aboard a rocket of the type on Monday morning Vulcan Centaur from the manufacturer ULA launched from the Cape Canaveral spaceport. The capsule was supposed to land on Earth’s satellite in an area called Sinus Viscositatis at the end of February. It would be the first – unmanned – US moon landing since the Apollo mission over 50 years ago.
In April 2023, a Japanese company failed in a similar mission, the company Ispace citing an incorrect height calculation of the lander during the landing attempt.
At the Peregrine Mission 1 Private individuals were able to purchase space to transport materials to the moon in the lander, which is 1.9 meters high and 2.5 meters in diameter. The US space agency Nasa also wants to prepare its own expeditions to Earth’s companions with several devices on the journey. NASA would like to examine, among other things, the lunar exosphere during the mission. In addition, thermal properties and the hydrogen content of the material on the lunar surface (regolith) will be investigated.
As with the ISS space station, NASA is working increasingly closely with commercial providers on lunar projects because this has proven to be an efficient and ultimately cost-saving way. Conversely, the business model of private companies has so far often depended on government clients.
According to insiders, the US space agency Nasa apparently has to postpone its next manned mission due to technical problems. The second Artemis– Mission will be delayed beyond its planned launch in late 2024 after vibration tests found problems with the batteries of the Lockheed Martin-built Orion capsule, two people familiar with the mission told Reuters. The batteries would need to be replaced.