Unfortunate Demise of the Peregrine Lunar Lander Expected Tonight at 21:00
Tonight, at around 21:00, the Astrobotic’s lunar lander, Peregrine, is expected to plummet down to earth due to a fuel leak. The spacecraft is slated to enter Earth’s atmosphere over the southern part of the Pacific Ocean.
The Peregrine’s Unachieved Dream Journey
The voyage of the Peregrine, the first commercial lunar lander, was pegged to be a remarkably groundbreaking event. Launched on January 8, the lander set its course for the moon. A mere ten days later, a fuel leak has thwarted its ambitious goals as the Peregrine can no longer maintain its orbit around the Earth. Consequently, it is predicted that Peregrine will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere tonight.
Controlled Return: No Cause for Panic
While the mission’s unfortunate twist of fate is disappointing, there is no cause for alarm. The return to Earth is under control; Astrobotic retains full command over the lunar lander and expects it to largely burn up upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. There is always a small possibility that some fragments may survive the atmospheric re-entry, but Astrobotic has ensured that any potential debris will land safely in the remote regions of the ocean, far from human habitation.
Fuel Leak Scuttles Lunar Landing Plans
The Peregrine lunar lander is a crucial component of an innovative initiative: NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS). The idea behind this initiative is to develop the capability of potentially housing humans directly on the moon. To bring this possibility to fruition, it’s vital to be able to send provisions from the Earth to the moon. NASA does not plan on solely undertaking this task; through the CLPS program, it is enlisting the help of commercial entities. Astrobotic was the first company commissioned by NASA with an actual planned lunar mission. However, disaster struck a few hours post-launch when Astrobotic discovered Peregrine’s struggle to stay on course.
The Road to Malfunction: A Hypothesis
The definitive cause of the problem is yet to be confirmed, but company staff speculate that an ill-sealing valve between multiple fuel compartments may have allowed an overabundance of pressure to accrue in one tank, possibly leading to its rupture. Despite this, Peregrine persevered for four days, reaching the moon’s orbit around Earth. Although it managed to reach its destination, the moon remained elusive. The intent was for Peregrine to maintain its altitude until its planned lunar landing on February 23. Regrettably, due to the fuel leak, the lunar lander could not sustain the necessary altitude, thereby rendering a successful rendezvous impossible.
The First Commercial Lunar Flight: A Missed Opportunity
If not for the fuel leak, Peregrine’s mission would have been a groundbreaking first commercial trip to the moon. Onboard were instruments and rovers from various countries along with time capsules from diverse companies. For instance, DHL developed a ‘MoonBox’ which carries messages from more than 100,000 people.
A Heart-wrenching Scenario but Hope for the Future
The failure of what was to be an extraordinary lunar landing on February 23 is profoundly disappointing. Updates from the company progressively reveal a more disheartening situation, culminating in update #17 where the heartbreaking decision to let Peregrine burn up in the atmosphere was announced. Despite this, there is a glimmer of hope for the future: Astrobotic’s CEO, John Thornton, expressed pride in his company and confirmed their intent to try again later this year with a new lunar lander named Griffin. Everyone hopes that Griffin will meet a more fortunate fate than its predecessor, Peregrine. Sadly, Astrobotic’s and NASA’s grand dream for tonight, whether literally or figuratively, is likely to crash into the ocean.
