USA non atterrano sulla Luna ancora

Astrobotic’s Lunar Lander Peregrine Facing Fuel Loss

The space robotics company Astrobotic announced on Monday night that its lunar lander Peregrine, designed to make a soft landing on the Moon, is experiencing a propellant leak that will prevent it from reaching its final destination.

The spacecraft is experiencing a propellant leak that is causing its thrusters to operate beyond their expected life cycle, the company stated. If the thrusters continue to operate without giving out, the spacecraft will have an additional 40 hours of stability before running out of power, the company explained.

“At this time, the goal is to get Peregrine as close to lunar distance as possible before it loses the ability to maintain sun pointing and consequently loses power,” the company said.

What Happened

Astrobotic’s Peregrine was one of the payloads carried by the United Lunch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket during its inaugural launch on Monday.

The lander was expected to make a soft landing on the Moon on February 23, after a 46-day journey, marking the first American landing since Apollo in 1972.

Astrobotic did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.

Photo via IgorGolovniov on Shutterstock

– Astrobotic
– Peregrine
– Benzinga

FIGN